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.



-----



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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...

Heat And Drought Creating Lethal Conditions For Salmon And Trout. Drought and record hot weather are producing lethal conditions for salmon and trout in rivers across the West.
A recent survey released Wednesday of the lower reaches of 54 rivers in <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=oregon&amp;cvid=d53646563b654669bae584293d369563&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Oregon</a>, California and Washington by the conservation group Wild Fish Conservancy showed nearly three-quarters had temperatures higher than 70 degrees, considered potentially deadly for salmon and trout.
Low river flows from the record low winter snowpack, which normally feeds rivers through the summer, combined with record hot weather have created a "perfect storm" of bad conditions for salmon and trout, said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supervisory fisheries biologist Rich Johnson. Heat And Drought Creating Lethal Conditions For Salmon And Trout
"It's unprecedented, I'd say," Johnson said.
Oregon Climate Center Associate Director Kathie Dello says the entire West Coast saw record low snowpack last winter, leading to low rivers this summer. All three states had record high temperatures for June, with Oregon breaking the record by 3 degrees, and the three-month outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is for continued warmer and drier-than-normal weather made worse by the ocean-warming condition known as El Nino, she added.
"This is the worst case scenario playing out right now, a warm winter and then a warm and dry summer," she said.
The Willamette River saw scores of dead salmon in June.
This week, state biologists examined about 50 dead sockeye salmon in the mouth of the Deschutes River. State fisheries biologist Rod French said they appeared to have been infected with a gill rot disease associated with warm water, and had probably left the warm waters of the Columbia River in search of cooler water.
In California, inland fisheries manager Roger Bloom says they are considering emergency fishing closures on several rivers so that fish weakened by the warm water do not die from being played by an angler, even if they are released. They include the lower Merced, the American and the Klamath.
In Washington, two federal fish hatcheries in the Columbia Gorge released 6 million juvenile salmon two weeks early in the Columbia River, in hopes they would have a better chance of reaching the ocean before temperatures got even warmer, said Johnson.
"It's just a perfect storm of bad weather conditions for salmon," he said. "Pray for rain and snow."
River flows are so low, the Washington Department of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fish-fossils-provide-new-insight-into-the-origins-of-teeth/">Fish</a> and Wildlife is sending out crews to clear out impromptu dams people build with rocks to create a pool to cool off in, so the salmon can swim upstream to spawn, said department drought coordinator Teresa Scott. Rivers are at levels normally not expected until September, and no one knows if they will drop even further.
"This is such a huge magnitude compared to previous droughts," she said. "Records available from before don't come close to preparing us for what we are encountering this year."
In Oregon, deputy fisheries chief Bruce McIntosh says they have imposed closures around cool water areas where salmon seek refuge at the mouths of tributaries flowing into the lower Umpqua River, but he did do not anticipate any more closures unless things get worse.
"Certainly we've had significant droughts in the past, such as the late 70's," he said. "But the challenge this year has been not only are there drought conditions, we're having August temperatures in June. That combination we really have not seen before."
Liz Hamilton of the Northwest Sportfishing Association, said closures are not needed, because when temperatures get too warm, fish go off the bite, and anglers quit fishing anyway.
"It as 2001 or 2002 and the Columbia got really hot in the fall," she recalled. "There were fish everywhere. You had a better chance of one jumping in the boat than of biting. It's one of those things about fishing. If people are not catching, they are not spreading the word to go, and less and less people go."
© 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.

Heat And Drought Creating Lethal Conditions For Salmon And Trout

Heat And Drought Creating Lethal Conditions For Salmon And Trout....

Heavy June rains causing heavy nutrient runoff into lake basin

NOAA and its research partners, using an ensemble modeling approach, predict that the 2015 western Lake Erie harmful algal bloom season will be among the most severe in recent years and could become the second most severe behind the record-setting 2011 bloom.

The effects of the cyanobacterial blooms include a higher cost for cities and local governments to treat their drinking water, as well as risk to swimmers in high concentration areas, and a nuisance to boaters when blooms form. These effects will vary in locations and severity with winds, and will peak in September.

The bloom will be expected to measure 8.7 on the severity index with a range from 8.1 to potentially as high as 9.5. This is more severe than the last year's 6.5, and may equal or exceed 2013, which had the second worse bloom in this century. The severity index runs from a high of 10, which corresponds to the 2011 bloom, the worst ever observed, to zero. A severity above 5.0 indicates blooms of particular concern.

"While we are forecasting a severe bloom, much of the lake will be fine most of the time. The bloom will develop from west to east in the Lake Erie Western Basin, beginning this month. It is important to note that these effects will vary with winds, and will peak in September," said Richard Stumpf, Ph.D., NOAA's ecological forecasting applied research lead at NCCOS, who formally presented the forecast in a media event and science presentation at Ohio State University's Stone Lab on Lake Erie today.

"This is the fourth seasonal harmful algal bloom outlook for Lake Erie that NOAA has issued," said Holly Bamford, Ph.D., assistant NOAA administrator for the National Ocean Service performing duties of the assistant secretary of commerce for conservation and management. "NOAA's ecological forecasting initiative, including this Lake Erie seasonal forecast, the NOAA weekly HAB bulletin, and the experimental early season HABs Tracker, provide science-based information that water managers, public health officials, and others need to make critical decisions to protect the health of their communities, understand environmental impacts, and mitigate damages to recreational activities that are a vital part of the region's economy."

The 2015 seasonal forecast uses models that translate spring nutrient loading into predicted algal blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie. After a relatively dry April and May, the heavy rains in June produced record discharge and nutrient loadings from the Maumee River, which runs through Toledo, Ohio as well as northeastern Indiana, will result in a more severe bloom. This marks the fourth year that NOAA has issued an annual outlook for western Lake Erie.

Models were developed by scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), the University of Michigan, LimnoTech, the University of Michigan Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research, and the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL). The models use nutrient load data collected by Heidelberg University's National Center for Water Quality Research.

"Last summer's Toledo water crisis was a wake-up call to the serious nature of harmful algal blooms in America's waters," said Jeff Reutter, Ph.D., senior advisor to, and former director of, The Ohio State University's Sea Grant program and Stone Laboratory. "This forecast once again focuses attention on this issue, and the urgent need to take action to address the problems caused by excessive amounts of nutrients from fertilizer, manure and sewage flowing into our lakes and streams."

To provide more real-time information during the bloom season, NOAA has produced HAB bulletins for western Lake Erie since 2008. The bulletins will continue at the twice-weekly frequency established during last season's Toledo event, and can be received by a subscription to the NOAA Lake Erie HAB Bulletin. Additional information on the size and movement of the bloom can be found via NOAA's experimental HAB Tracker. As the summer progresses, field observations on water quality, algal biomass and toxicity will be collected by NOAA GLERL and CILER, the Ohio State University's Sea Grant Program and Stone Laboratory, Heidelberg University, the University of Toledo, Ohio EPA, and LimnoTech. USGS will work with NASA in providing satellite tracking of the bloom as well. These results will provide valuable information to regional managers and assist NCCOS scientists in further refining the accuracy of this year's forecast models.

The Lake Erie forecast is part of a NOAA ecological forecasting initiative that aims to deliver accurate, relevant, timely and reliable ecological forecasts directly to coastal resource managers and the public as part of its stewardship and scientific mandates for coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources. Additionally, NOAA currently provides, or is developing, HABs and hypoxia forecasts for the Gulf of Maine, Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Northwest

NOAA, NASA, EPA, and the U.S. Geological Survey announced, in April, a $3.6 million multi-agency research effort designed to be an early warning system for freshwater nuisance and toxic algal blooms by using satellites that can gather color data from freshwater bodies during scans of the Earth. The project will improve the understanding of the environmental causes and health effects of cyanobacteria and phytoplankton blooms. The effort includes the Great Lakes and will further strengthen initiatives like the NOAA Lake Erie HABs forecast.

---

<a href="http://www.noaa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOAA</a>

Severe Algal Bloom Predicted For Lake Erie

Heavy June rains causing heavy nutrient runoff into lake basin...

In the most comprehensive analysis of the impact of climate change on critical pollinators, researchers have found that rapid declines in bumblebee species across North America and Europe are strongly linked to climate change. The study was published in <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaa7031" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science</a>.

“Pollinators are vital for food security and our economy, and widespread losses due to climate change will diminish both,” states Jeremy Kerr, lead researcher and professor at the University of Ottawa’s Department of Biology. “We need to figure out how we can improve the outlook for pollinators on continental scales. But the most important thing we can do is begin to take serious action to reduce the rate of climate change.”

Although previous smaller-scale studies on other species have shown that species expand to the North Pole as the climate warms, these new findings show that bumblebee species are not relocating. Instead, they’re losing range from the south, disappearing over huge areas with the rapid warming on continental scales.

This is the first cross-continental analysis to study how a large group of pollinators responds to climate change. The study has also discovered a new biological mechanism that explains how species may respond to climate change based on their evolutionary past.

“We’ve lost about 300 km from the ranges of bumblebees in southern Europe and North America. The scale and pace of these losses are unprecedented. We need new strategies to help these species cope with the effects of human-caused climate change, perhaps assisting them to shift into northern areas," urges Professor Kerr.

The study used long-term observations collected over a period of 110 years across Europe and North America, with a database of approximately 423,000 geo-referenced observations for 67 bumblebee species. The observations tested for latitudinal and thermal limits and movements along elevation gradients.

---

<a href="http://www.uottawa.ca/welcome.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Ottawa</a>

Scientists: Rapid Bumblebee Decline Caused By Climate Change

In the most comprehensive analysis of the impact of climate...

Haze From Canadian Wildfires Spreads Across The US. Haze From Canadian Wildfires Spreads Across The US. Hazy conditions across the West are in part due to large Canadian wildfires, blazes fueled by the same hot, dry conditions that have sparked fires in the United States.
The smoke has caused spectacular red sunsets in places like Seattle and prompted air quality warnings in many states.
---
FIERY CANADA
Blazes are burning in parts of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, more than 10,000 people have been forced from their homes and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which coordinates firefighting services for the provinces and territories, said Canada may have to seek more help from the U.S. and abroad.
Alberta said Wednesday it was bringing in 62 firefighters from Mexico to help battle 92 wildfires burning in the province, including 33 listed as out of control.
British Columbia, with more than 180 fires, was bringing in crews from Australia.
---
SMOKE SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Haze from smoke drifting south from the wildfires lingered over parts of eastern Colorado for the third straight day on Wednesday, prompting a health warning for Denver and the heavily populated region north and south of the city. The haze combined with clouds gave Denver an unusually gloomy look in the middle of summer and blocked the view of the mountains.
The tiny particles of wildfire debris in the air pose a health risk for people with lung disease, older adults and children and anyone who exerts themselves working out outdoors, said Christopher Dann of Colorado's air pollution control division. While expected rain could clear out the haze, Dann said Colorado - which remains free of large wildfires after a wet spring - could be again dealing with smoke from the Canadian fires over the coming days and weeks.
Joanne Todd of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency said smoke from wildfires in British Columbia has crossed into Washington state, but is sitting high in the atmosphere and has little impact on the health of residents.
"It's not affecting us at ground level," Todd said. "The smoke is pretty high in the atmosphere."
She said that could change in the future.
Air quality advisories have also been issued in places like North and South Dakota.
Canadians, obviously, are being affected as well. Environment Canada continued to issue special air quality advisories for parts of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwest Ontario due to wildfire smoke. Haze From Canadian Wildfires Spreads Across The US
---
HOT AND DRY
The Western provinces have seen very hot, dry and windy conditions.
Kerry Anderson, a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, said the weather pattern known as El Nino, which is caused by the warming of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America, is responsible.
He expects weather conditions will settle down in Saskatchewan in the coming weeks, but warmer than normal temperatures will likely persist for a while in B.C. and Alberta.
Anderson said even if crews bring the Saskatchewan fires under control, they may not actually be put out until the fall.
Similar conditions across the American West have helped fuel for large, destructive blazes, including one in Wenatchee, Washington, that began in late June that destroyed nearly 30 homes.
---
Associated Press reporters Colleen Slevin in Denver and Nicholas K. Geranios in Spokane, Washington, 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.

Haze From Canadian Wildfires Spreads Across The US

Haze From Canadian Wildfires Spreads Across The US. Haze From...

NASA: Oceans Slowed Global Temperature Rise. A new NASA study of ocean temperature measurements shows that in recent years, extra heat from greenhouse gases has been trapped in the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. Researchers say this shifting pattern of ocean heat accounts for the slowdown in the global temperature rise observed during the past decade.

Researchers Veronica Nieves, Josh Willis and Bill Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, found a specific layer of the Indian and Pacific oceans between 300 and 1,000 feet (100 and 300 meters) below the surface has been accumulating more heat than previously recognized. They also found the movement of warm water has affected surface temperatures. The results were published Thursday in the journal Science.

During the 20th century, as greenhouse gas concentrations increased and trapped more heat energy on Earth, global surface temperatures also increased. However, in the 21st century, this pattern seemed to change temporarily.

"Greenhouse gases continued to trap extra heat, but for about 10 years starting in the early 2000s, global average surface temperature stopped climbing and even cooled a bit," said Willis.

In the study, researchers analyzed direct ocean temperature measurements, including observations from a global network of about 3,500 ocean temperature probes known as the <a href="http://www.argo.ucsd.edu/About_Argo.html">Argo array</a> . These measurements show temperatures below the surface have been increasing.

[caption id="attachment_2382849" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/07/ocean-temperature-trend_1big_graphic_nasa.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2382849" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/07/ocean-temperature-trend_1big_graphic_nasa-150x150.jpg" alt="Maps of temperature trends at four layers in the global ocean" width="150" height="150" /></a> Maps of temperature trends at four layers in the global ocean[/caption]

The Pacific Ocean is the primary source of the subsurface warm water found in the study, though some of that water now has been pushed to the Indian Ocean. Since 2003, unusually strong trade winds and other climatic features have been piling up warm water in the upper 1,000 feet of the western Pacific, pinning it against Asia and Australia.

"The western Pacific got so warm that some of the warm water is leaking into the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian archipelago," said Nieves, the lead author of the study.

The movement of the warm Pacific water westward pulled heat away from the surface waters of the central and eastern Pacific, which resulted in unusually cool surface temperatures during the last decade. Because the air temperature over the ocean is closely related to the ocean temperature, this provides a plausible explanation for the global cooling trend in surface temperature.

Cooler surface temperatures also are related to a long-lived climatic pattern called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which moves in a 20- to 30-year cycle. It has been in a cool phase during the entire time surface temperatures showed cooling, bringing cooler-than-normal water to the eastern Pacific and warmer water to the western side. There currently are signs the pattern may be changing to the opposite phase, with observations showing warmer-than-usual water in the eastern Pacific.

"Given the fact the Pacific Decadal Oscillation seems to be shifting to a warm phase, ocean heating in the Pacific will definitely drive a major surge in global surface warming," Nieves said.

Previous attempts to explain the global surface temperature cooling trend have relied more heavily on climate model results or a combination of modeling and observations, which may be better at simulating long-term impacts over many decades and centuries. This study relied on observations, which are better for showing shorter-term changes over 10 to 20 years. In shorter time spans, natural variations such as the recent slowdown in global surface temperature trends can have larger regional impacts on climate than human-caused warming. NASA: Oceans Slowed Global Temperature Rise

Pauses of a decade or more in Earth's average surface temperature warming have happened before in modern times, with one occurring between the mid-1940s and late 1970s.

"In the long term, there is robust evidence of unabated global warming," Nieves said.

NASA uses the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth's interconnected natural systems with long-term data records. The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing.

For more information about NASA's Earth science activities, visit:

<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nasa.gov/earth</a>

NASA: Oceans Slowed Global Temperature Rise

NASA: Oceans Slowed Global Temperature Rise. A new NASA study...

168500629

Battle Over Fracking Shaping Up In Colorado. Environmentalists and the energy industry have fought decisive battles over fracking in New York, Oklahoma and Texas, but the outcome is unclear in Colorado, where the issue could go to a ballot fight in the 2016 election.
A task force convened by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper tried to find a compromise over who should regulate the industry - the state or local government - and to what extent. But fracking critics were bitterly disappointed when the panel suggested leaving regulatory power in state hands and avoided recommending specific health, environmental and safety rules. Battle Over Fracking Shaping Up In Colorado
"I think the fossil fuels industry won," said Karen Dike, a member of Coloradans Against Fracking.
Fracking is a pressing issue in Colorado, the nation's No. 7 energy-producing state. Along the urban Front Range, expanding suburbs and booming oilfields are running into each other, and drilling rigs sometimes show up near public schools. Several municipal attempts to ban fracking have failed, and the industry warns that local control would stifle energy development.
Dike and others won't say whether they plan to put measures that would restrict fracking on the 2016 ballot, but they don't rule it out.
Frank McNulty, a Republican former state lawmaker who sponsored a pro-industry ballot measure in 2014, expects fracking opponents to turn to voters next year.
"I don't think that it's settled," he said.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, injects water, sand and chemicals under high pressure to crack open underground formations and make it easier to recover oil and gas. The industry says it's safe.
Opponents won a significant victory in New York, where regulators formalized a statewide fracking ban on June 29, citing environmental and public health risks.
In May, the industry prevailed in Texas and Oklahoma, where new state laws prevent local governments from banning fracking.
Colorado hasn't imposed sweeping measures favoring either side, in part because of a nearly even three-way electoral split among Republican, Democratic and unaffiliated voters.
Colorado has plenty of advocates on opposite ends of the argument, but "also a very sizable middle ground, people who are willing to talk through it," said Christopher Weible, an associate professor at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Public Affairs who studies fracking policy debates. "Maybe it's a thing about Colorado, maybe we have a lot of pride in our natural resources and how we can get along."
Hickenlooper, a Democrat and an energy industry supporter, formed the task force last year. Competing ballot issues on fracking threatened to draw a wave of conservative voters and campaign donations into the 2014 election, so Hickenlooper negotiated a truce: Both sides withdrew their ballot issues and the task force went to work.
After five months of meetings, the panel suggested giving local governments a consulting role but not the power to set their own oil and gas rules. The task force rejected proposals to require disclosure of all the chemicals used in fracking and to give surface property owners more leverage if someone else owns the minerals under their land and wants to drill.
Hickenlooper praised the recommendations, but <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=democratic&amp;cvid=24d83deb85834cb9b3e5dd13e09510b8&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Democratic</a> congressman Jared Polis, who favors more restrictions, was disappointed. Polis supported ballot issues in 2014 that would have given local governments more control and required new wells to be at least 2,000 feet from houses, but withdrew them in the truce.
Polis said fracking could be on the 2016 ballot if state officials don't further regulate the industry. He stopped short of saying whether he would organize the effort, but he wants lawmakers and regulators to adopt three proposals that weren't formally recommended by the task force.
One would let local governments impose stricter rules than the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation <a href="http://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/african-wild-dog-vs-hyena-know-the-difference/">Commission</a>, charged with regulating drilling statewide. Another would change the commission's role from facilitating oil and gas development to simply regulating it. The third would set up a panel to resolve disputes between energy companies and local governments or property owners before they land in court.
If opponents try to limit fracking in 2016, McNulty said he'll fight them. He co-sponsored a 2014 ballot issue to deny oil and gas tax revenues to local governments that ban drilling, but withdrew it as part of Hickenlooper's compromise.
Colorado already has some of the toughest energy regulations in the country, said Dan Haley, CEO of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, an industry group.
"We choose to work together with communities to find solutions for concerned citizens, and not to worry about the activists who just want to put industry families on the unemployment line," he said.
---
Follow Dan Elliott at <a href="http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP</a>
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Battle Over Fracking Shaping Up In Colorado

Battle Over Fracking Shaping Up In Colorado. Environmentalists and the...

Refugio State Beach To Reopen Two Months After Oil Spill. A California beach fouled by an oil spill will reopen to swimmers and campers two months after a pipeline ruptured and spewed thousands of gallons of crude along the coast, officials said.
State Parks rangers toured the shoreline west of Santa Barbara on Thursday and cleared Refugio State Beach to reopen July 17.
Crews still need to finish scraping oil off cobblestones with wire brushes and putty knives before the public can use the beach next week. Hard-to-access areas will be off limits as cleanup continues, but officials said the work would not affect beachgoers. Refugio State Beach To Reopen Two Months After <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=oil&amp;cvid=f75d4a949e9f475d8ea27217270c66f0&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Oil</a> Spill
An underground pipeline operated by Texas-based Plains All American Pipeline ruptured May 19, releasing up to 101,000 gallons of oil. About 21,000 gallons flowed into a drainage ditch, coated Refugio beach and washed out to the Pacific Ocean.
The spill led authorities to close the beach and nearby El Capitan State Beach, which reopened in late June.
Tar balls from the spill have been sighted on beaches as far south as Los Angeles County, 100 miles away, and nearly 300 dead birds and marine mammals have been recovered near the spill site. Cleanup costs have exceeded $92 million.
The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is investigating the cause of the spill, and state prosecutors have been considering potential charges against Plains.
Preliminary findings released by the federal agency suggest that the break occurred along a heavily corroded section of pipe.
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee opened an investigation last month and asked Plains for detailed information on maintenance of the line. The panel also wants the company to explain how it reported the leak to the National Response Center, a clearinghouse for reports of hazardous-material releases.
Documents showed it took Plains nearly 90 minutes after confirming the leak to alert the response center. By then, the federal response led by the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coast-guards-of-arctic-nations-seek-more-help-dealing-with-melting-sea-ice-3/">Coast Guard</a> was underway.
Plains has maintained that the response was not delayed.
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Refugio State Beach To Reopen Two Months After Oil Spill

Refugio State Beach To Reopen Two Months After Oil Spill....

Environmental Group Wants More Deep Sea Drilling Regulations. As is so often the case, business interests are outpacing regulatory protections -- this time in the realm of deep sea drilling.

According to a new report from the conservation group Center for Ocean Solutions, mining and drilling companies are making plans to extract natural resources from previously untapped deep seabeds, yet protections for the ocean floor remain limited. Environmental Group Wants More Deep Sea Drilling Regulations
<div class="ad_slot"></div>
The Center for Ocean Solutions' new policy paper, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/349/6244/144.summary?sid=eaa86aa1-2b2c-4fef-a677-c15899409edc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published in the journal Science</a>, calls on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to address the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/how-will-ocean-anoxic-zones-interact-with-climate-change/">ocean</a> floor's currently lax environmental protections, in the face of growing industrial interests.

"Our purpose is to point out that the ISA has an important opportunity to create networks of no-mining Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as part of the regulatory framework they are considering at their July meeting," Lisa Wedding, a scientist with the group and lead author of the new paper, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.centerforoceansolutions.org/news-stories/protecting-deep-sea-call-balancing-mining-and-ecosystem-protection-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained in a recent press release</a>. "The establishment of regional MPA networks in the deep sea could potentially benefit both mining and biodiversity interests by providing more economic certainty and ecosystem protection." Environmental Group Wants More Deep Sea Drilling Regulations

The ISA is a U.N.-backed intergovernmental organization tasked with regulating mining activities in the seabed outside national jurisdiction. The body, which has already granted more than two dozen exploratory permits to national and private mining interests, is currently meeting in Kingston, Jamaica.

Conservation groups are calling on the body to cease issuing permits until stronger regulatory protections are established.

"Deep-sea areas targeted by mining claims frequently harbor high biodiversity and fragile habitats, and may have very slow rates of recovery from physical disturbance," said <a class="tpstyle" title="Craig Smith" href="http://www.upi.com/topic/Craig_Smith/">Craig Smith</a>, report co-author and professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Sought after for the minerals and rare earth metals that may exist there, these dark ocean floors are far from public eyes, making keeping tabs on environmental damage is especially difficult. That's all the more reason, activists say, to establish more expansive protections.

"The time is now to protect this important part of the planet for current and future generations," added Larry Crowder, report co-author and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "Decisions that affect us all will be made by the ISA this summer."

---

Credit: UPI

Environmental Group Wants More Deep Sea Drilling Regulations

Environmental Group Wants More Deep Sea Drilling Regulations. As is...

Study: Sea Levels Rose 20 Feet Last Time Earth Was This Hot "As the planet warms, the poles warm even faster, raising important questions about how ice sheets in <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=greenland&amp;cvid=b9b6e499e7a54b05b5bfb025f9eddd7c&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Greenland</a> and Antarctica will respond," study author Andrea Dutton said.

Even if the world can stem the flow of carbon emissions and slow the rise of global temperatures, researchers suggest dramatic sea level rise may already be unavoidable. Study: Sea Levels Rose 20 Feet Last Time <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=earth&amp;cvid=7c1b76613a75493db4347bc933803e82&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Earth</a> Was This Hot

According to a new study published <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/349/6244/aaa4019.abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal Science</a>, the last time the planet featured a run of temperatures this high, the oceans rose a total of 20 feet. Should a similar turn of events play out in the coming decades, the U.S. would lose 48,000 square miles of land to the rising tides of climate change -- coastal land currently home to some 23.4 million Americans. Study: Sea Levels Rose 20 Feet Last Time Earth Was This Hot
<div class="ad_slot"></div>
Researchers at the University of Florida used computer models, combined with data from the geologic record, to calculate sea levels the last time average temperatures rose 1 to 3 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

The numbers suggest climatic conditions similar to today's precipitated a dramatic rise in sea levels -- 20 to 40 feet higher than current levels -- 400,000 years ago and then again 125,000 years ago.

"As the planet warms, the poles warm even faster, raising important questions about how ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica will respond," lead study author Andrea Dutton, a University of Florida geochemist, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://news.ufl.edu/archive/2015/07/evidence-from-past-suggests-climate-trends-could-yield-20-foot-sea-level-rise.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said in a press release</a>. "While this amount of sea-level rise will not happen overnight, it is sobering to realize how sensitive the polar ice sheets are to temperatures that we are on path to reach within decades."

Should rising seas mimic climatic trends of the past, states like <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/striking-antisolar-rays-over-florida/">Florida</a>, New York, California, Louisiana, Virginia and New Jersey would be most vulnerable.

Researchers say their work is not a stone-etched prediction, but a warning of what climatic history says is possible. To get a more accurate sense of exactly how much seas will rise in coming decades, researchers say they need a more comprehensive understanding of ice sheet dynamics.

"We're going to reach temperatures we had in the past periods in the next couple of decades," <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/10/scientists-predict-huge-sea-level-rise-even-if-we-limit-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dutton told the Guardian</a>. "Understanding which are the most vulnerable sectors of polar ice sheets is critical to projecting future pattern of sea level rise regionally."

<a class="tpstyle" href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014EF000239/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Previous research</a> has predicted (with 90 percent probability) that seas will rise anywhere from two to five feet by the end of the century.

---

Credit: UPI

Study: Sea Levels Rose 20 Feet Last Time Earth Was This Hot

Study: Sea Levels Rose 20 Feet Last Time Earth Was...

On a vast tract of old North Carolina farmland, crews are getting ready to build something the South has never seen: a commercial-scale wind farm.
The $600 million project by Spanish developer Iberdrola Renewables LLC will put 102 turbines on 22,000 acres near the coastal community of Elizabeth City, with plans to add about 50 more. Once up and running, it could generate about 204 megawatts, or enough electricity to power about 60,000 homes.
It would be the first large onshore wind farm in a region with light, fluctuating winds that has long been a dead zone for wind power.
After a years-long regulatory process that once looked to have doomed the plan, Iberdrola spokesman Paul Copleman told The Associated Press that construction is to begin in about a month.
Right now, there's not a spark of electricity generated from wind in nine states across the Southeast from Arkansas to Florida, according to data from the American Wind Energy Association, an industry trade group.
But taller towers and bigger turbines are unlocking new potential in the South, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and the industry is already looking to invest.
And with the electricity system in the region undergoing a period of change as coal plants are phased out, some experts believe the door is open for renewables like wind.
Federal energy researchers have found stronger winds at higher elevations that can be tapped by new towers and bigger rotor blades. New federal maps of onshore wind flows at higher elevations than were previously available indicate that this new technology significantly increases the areas that wind can thrive, especially in the Southeast.
"If you go higher, the wind is better," said Jose Zayas, director of the Wind and Water Power Technologies Office at the Department of Energy. "The question is how you get there responsibly and economically."
The average tower height now in the U.S. is about 260 feet; the new technology allows turbines to mine air at 460 feet.
The project in North Carolina was not viable just a decade ago, company officials said. But the new, larger turbines unlocked the area's potential.
"In the past this site barely showed up on old (wind) maps. It was a little brown smudge," said Craig Poff, one of the developers, referring to color-coded wind resource maps. "The larger-diameter rotors are really the game-changer here."
Spiraling wind farms in 36 states already generate about 5 percent of U.S. energy - low compared to other countries like Denmark (28 percent), Portugal, Spain and Ireland (16 percent each). South Dakota and Iowa already derive about 20 percent of their electric energy from wind, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The Energy Department believes the U.S. can generate 20 percent of the country's power with wind by 2030, and opening up the Southeast and other new areas is a key to achieving that goal.
There are hurdles: Utilities in most Southern states have not invested heavily in renewable energy. Also, only North Carolina has adopted a state law mandating utilities to increase their renewable energy portfolios.
But other factors are already forcing change in the region's energy market. Abundant natural gas, coal being phased out and aging nuclear plants are creating a potentially robust market for wind power as utilities seek the next best investment to add to their energy mixes, said Jonas Monast of Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
"It's conceivable that we can see a dramatic growth in wind as we've seen in solar because utilities are entering into a new phase," he said.
Florida, Alabama and Georgia have signed contracts to start importing wind power from other regions to help with fuel price volatility. Wind farms have been proposed in Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama and other areas, the industry group said.
Still, without state renewable energy mandates like North Carolina's, the growth could be slow going, experts said.
"Quite frankly, often this is driven by customer demand and I don't really sense consumer demand in the Southeast, particularly in Alabama," said Clark Midkiff, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Alabama who studies energy issues in the region.
Another issue facing wind farms in the Southeast is protecting the region's birds and bats.
The danger of wind turbines to birds like rare golden eagles and bats has plagued or derailed major projects in the West. Avian research is now factored into decisions on where to put wind farms, and can make or break a project.
Because no wind farms exist anywhere in the South, little research has been done on the issue. Researchers and developers will have to catch up.
"This is a community that has not experienced a lot of wind," said Zayas, of the Energy Department. "And understanding and recognizing we can deploy these responsibly with biological and agency (studies) of species is a priority."
---
Dearen reported from Gainesville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen</a>
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Huge Wind Farm Being Built In North Carolina

On a vast tract of old North Carolina farmland, crews...

Vanuatu Villagers Seek Higher Ground From Global Warming. Many people living in this coastal village in Vanuatu believe the March cyclone that sent waves surging through their homes was the latest and most dramatic sign of climate change. They are now considering rebuilding their entire community on higher ground.
Cyclone Pam struck the <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/noumea-in-the-south-pacific-archipelago-of-new-caledonia/">Pacific</a> archipelago three months ago, blasting the islands with winds of 270 kilometers (168 miles) per hour, killing at least 11 people and affecting 180,000 more by destroying their homes and crops. Many residents saw it as part of broader environmental changes they've witnessed in recent years, from higher sea levels to trees bearing fruit out of season. Vanuatu Villagers Seek Higher Ground From Global Warming
"We have seen a lot of changes in our weather patterns. The level of the sea rise. And it is affecting the nation at the moment," said Vanuatu President Baldwin Lonsdale in an interview with The Associated Press. "The impact of climate change is quite real in Vanuatu."
Parts of Vanuatu are low-lying and are starting to see visible signs of rising sea levels as the earth warms and ice caps melt. The world's oceans have risen nearly 7 centimeters (nearly 3 inches) since 1992, scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say, and are projected to rise at a faster rate in the decades to come.
More damaging than the overall rise, however, are the unpredictable surges brought on by more severe storms. While scientists caution that singular events like the cyclone can't be attributed solely to climate change, many say there is a link to a general increase in violent weather.
"The short answer would be that certainly there is a connection between climate change and extreme weather," said Debarati Guha-Sapir, a professor at the University of Louvain School of Public Health in Brussels. "The numbers of storms and high wind events have been increasing. So have droughts, in fact, and all of these are very connected to climate change."
She said there's likely to be an increase in catastrophic flooding in coming years and people need to better prepare for that.
Vanuatu isn't the only Pacific island nation figuring out how to face climate change. Low-lying Kiribati has purchased land in Fiji, which Kiribati President Anote Tong says is an investment and also a guarantee in case the entire nation needs to move.
In Takara, which is on Vanuatu's main island of Efate, village chief Benjamin Tamata said he wants to move the village of about 200 people inland by about 300 meters (1,000 feet) to move away from the rising seas and to avoid future storm surges.
"When the cyclone came to my village, it's not only the cyclone," he said. "With the sea level rising, it came through and damaged our houses. And some of the people run away."
He said many escaped to a nearby school, but now it's time to plan for the long term.
"We try to relocate," he said. "To take all the people from this village and we try to relocate where we can be safe, or where we can survive from the sea."
If Takara does move inland, it won't be the first village to do so in Vanuatu. A decade ago, dozens of villagers on Tegua Island moved inland in what the U.N. described as one of the first cases of mass displacement triggered by global warming.
"Staff from the meteorological office and hazard department, they went and assessed the level of sea rise," said Lonsdale. "And they advised people to move inland. And so they assisted. They assisted the communities and we have moved them further up from the coastal area."
NOAA, NASA, the Japanese weather agency, and the World Meteorological Organization all declared 2014 the hottest year on record, with NOAA putting 2014 at an average of 58.26 degrees Fahrenheit (14.6 Celsius).
As the world gets warmer, water expands, so the seas rise. But on top of that, ice sheets in Greenland and west Antarctica are melting, as are world glaciers, and scientists worry that meltwater will dramatically increase sea level by about 1 meter by the end of the century.
Islanders are also noticing other effects of climate change, said Shadrack Welegtabit, the director of Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office. He said trees are bearing fruit and nuts all year round, instead of in distinct seasons like in the past.
"Not only in Vanuatu, but probably in the Pacific as a whole, climate change does have an impact," Welegtabit said. "We are beginning to see changes in the weather patterns. We are beginning to have more intense weather, more severe cyclones."
Vanuatu has made strides in its rebuilding efforts since the cyclone, and many tourism operators are hoping that the tourists who help power the economy will soon return. But for others, like Vila North School Principal Elina Jaywelson Gilu, the rebuild has been painfully slow.
She's still operating three classes from a tent provided by aid agency UNICEF while she waits for her classroom buildings to get new roofs.
"You can just imagine our classes are very noisy, and it's really, really hard to get the students to concentrate," she said. "Because they are all under one roof and it's not been partitioned to separate the classes. And they are all sitting on the floor."
Shirley Laban, the climate change adaptation manager in Vanuatu for aid agency Oxfam, said its time for the world to get serious about tackling climate change.
"What more can we show you. Category-5 Cyclone Pam is the real evidence already," she said. "We need to cut down on this carbon emission. Because as long as we do not cut down, vulnerable individuals, countries, women and children will continue to be impacted."
---
Associated Press video journalist Mark Carlson in Brussels contributed to this report.
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Vanuatu Villagers Seek Higher Ground From Global Warming

Vanuatu Villagers Seek Higher Ground From Global Warming. Many people...

Huge <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-supercharged/">Atlantic</a> Herring Haul Worries Fishermen And Environmentalists. A little fish that New Englanders have sought since the Colonial era is at the center of a battle over how to manage massive boats that trawl swaths of ocean off the East Coast.
The catch for the Atlantic herring, which travels in groups sometimes numbering in the billions, is in the midst of a massive boom. Last year fishermen caught more than 95,000 metric tons of the fish for the first time since 2009, federal statistics show. Huge Atlantic Herring Haul Worries Fishermen And Environmentalists
Now rival fishermen are raising concerns about the high catches, and regulators are starting to consider whether the big haul is adversely impacting the environment, marine <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=mammals&amp;cvid=6bfef0a0fce343da8ca9fb1c56475818&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">mammals</a> or other fisheries.
Herring trawlers have the ability to deplete localized areas of other fish, in part because the hulking boats leave pieces of ocean bereft of the herring other species they rely on to eat, some fishermen of species such as cod and tuna complain.
Steve Weiner, a tuna fisherman based out of Ogunquit, Maine, said the high herring catches need a hard look because of the fish's status as a lynchpin of the Atlantic Ocean's food web. Everything from seabirds to whale-watching boats rely on a steady supply of herring for stability, he said.
The issue is particularly concerning for Cape Cod fishermen, many of whom are struggling to make a living in a time of strict cod quotas, Weiner said.
"You have to worry about all the other people who depend on healthy herring resources," he said. "When you get down to the Cape, it's raw, real."
But some herring fishermen dismiss those complaints as nonsense and reference federal studies that describe the species as "not overfished."
The herring trawlers can be more than 100 feet long and drag 300-foot nets behind them to catch hundreds of thousands of pounds of herring. Fishermen of other species complain that they also take other fish as bycatch, and environmentalists have long charged that they sometimes kill marine mammals. Fishing observers found that midwater herring trawlers killed four pilot whales, three seals and a dolphin through incidental catch in Northeast oceans in 2014, federal statistics show.
Fishermen and conservationists have also charged that wiping herring out of localized areas of the ocean makes those areas economically worthless because other species then stay away.
The New England Fishery Management Council, which regulates fishing in the area, will solicit feedback from the industry and the public about the issue of "localized depletion," said Lori Steele, a fishery analyst for the council. It's too early to say what the council will do with the information, she said.
Mary Beth Tooley, who sits on the council, said it will be important to develop scientific metrics for localized depletion. Tooley also works in government relations for O'Hara Corporation, which operates two herring trawlers out of Rockland, Maine. She said the issue has become "political" in recent years.
"We hear a lot from tuna fishermen," she said. "I think they would like us to catch less because they think it would make their fishing better."
About half of the Atlantic herring caught last year came to shore in Maine, with Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey fishermen also reporting significant catches. The fish is in high demand in part because of its key role as the preferred bait for Maine's lobster industry, which has also reported record catches in recent years. Herring that aren't used as bait sometimes end up as food in the form of canned fish, and it is also popular smoked, pickled or salted.
Maine had its second-most productive herring fishing year since 2000 with more than 100 million pounds of herring brought to the docks in 2014. The fish were worth more than $16 million, an all-time high according to state records that go back to 1950, making it one of the most valuable fisheries in a state where fishing is the lifeblood industry.
But the Northeast herring fishery has struggled with quota cuts and wildly fluctuating catches as recently as this decade. Peter Baker, who directs the Herring Alliance conservation group, said the fishery is in need of closer monitoring.
"If you've got a boat that can catch half a million pounds overnight, you change all the other animals in the area," he said. "There's no reason for herring to stay there, no reason for whales to stay there, no reason for tuna to stay there."
In Gloucester, Massachusetts, one of the busiest fishing ports on the East Coast, herring fisherman Jerry O'Neill said the abundance of herring and the strength of the lobster fishery have combined to keep business strong. He said he's unmoved by complaints about herring trawlers disrupting other fisheries, which he said lack "actual, scientific" basis for their claims.
O'Neill said he'd like to see more New England waters opened to year-round herring fishing.
"It's a healthy stock," he said. "I don't think there's any basis for believing it's an issue."
But Rockland herring fisherman Glenn Robbins said tighter restrictions could be necessary. Robbins, who uses a different kind of gear, said the larger trawlers should be kept out of the Gulf of Maine year-round.
"They do kill the whales, they do kill the porpoises and seals. Anything that gets in them," he said. "They never die in my net."
© 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.

Huge Atlantic Herring Haul Worries Fishermen And Environmentalists

Huge Atlantic Herring Haul Worries Fishermen And Environmentalists. A little...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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

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