An asteroid impact on Mars 11 million years ago sent fragments of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these pieces eventually crashed into Earth, making its way to Purdue University and becoming known as the Lafayette Meteorite.&nbsp;



This rare find has been instrumental in unlocking secrets of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/manganese-discovery-ancient-mars-earth-like-water-lake-habitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mars</a>’ watery past, with new research recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7185/geochemlet.2443" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geochemical Perspective Letters</a> that provides insight into the timing and nature of Mars’ ancient water activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-mars-watery-past">Tracing Mars’ watery past</h2>



Scientists have long known that the Lafayette Meteorite interacted with liquid water on Mars, but the exact timing of this event was uncertain.&nbsp;



Dr. Marissa Tremblay, an assistant professor at Purdue University’s <a href="https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences</a> (EAPS), led an international research team to determine the age of the water-altered minerals in the meteorite, pinpointing it to 742 million years ago.



“Dating these minerals can therefore tell us when there was liquid water at or near the surface of Mars in the planet's geologic past,” Tremblay explained.&nbsp;



The findings suggest that while liquid water wasn’t abundant on the surface at this time, it likely came from melting subsurface ice, or permafrost, caused by intermittent volcanic activity - a phenomenon still observed on Mars today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preserving-a-moment-in-mars-geological-timeline">Preserving a moment in Mars’ geological timeline</h2>



The study not only identified when water interacted with the meteorite but also established that the dating was unaffected by events after the meteorite left Mars.&nbsp;



“The age could have been affected by the impact that ejected the Lafayette Meteorite from Mars, the heating it experienced during the 11 million years it was floating in space, or the heating when it fell to Earth,” Tremblay said.&nbsp;



However, the team confirmed that none of these factors altered the age, validating the timeline of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-lost-most-of-its-water-but-where-did-it-go/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> interaction.



Study co-author and Purdue EAPS researcher Ryan Ickert applied heavy isotope analysis to further verify that previous data on the meteorite’s water-rock interaction had likely been skewed by other geological processes.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This meteorite uniquely has evidence that it has reacted with water. The exact date of this was controversial, and our publication dates when water was present,” said Ickert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mysterious-journey-of-the-meteorite">Mysterious journey of the meteorite </h2>



The Lafayette Meteorite’s journey to Purdue is something of a mystery. It was found in a university drawer in 1931, though how it got there remains unknown.&nbsp;



In previous research, Tremblay and her team used crop disease markers from organic contaminants found on the meteorite to narrow down when it might have fallen to Earth.



Once the meteorite was ejected from Mars, it endured constant cosmic ray bombardment in space, which produced certain isotopes, offering clues to its time of impact on Earth.&nbsp;



“Many meteoroids are produced by impacts on Mars and other planetary bodies, but only a handful will eventually fall to Earth,” Tremblay said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planetary-time-capsules">Planetary time capsules</h2>



Meteorites like Lafayette serve as planetary time capsules, offering invaluable data on the geological and environmental history of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-meteorites-can-be-traced-to-three-asteroid-families/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">home worlds</a>. With their dense structure, metallic content, and magnetic properties, meteorites are often distinguishable from Earth rocks.&nbsp;



“We can identify meteorites by studying what minerals are present in them, their mineral relationships, and by checking for a fusion crust formed during entry into Earth’s atmosphere,” Tremblay explained.&nbsp;



By analyzing these traits and their chemical signatures, scientists can often determine a meteorite’s planetary origin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-history-of-meteorites">Complex history of meteorites</h2>



This research marks a significant milestone for the team, which included scientists from institutions across the globe, such as the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Center (SUERC), the University of St. Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Bristol, and London’s <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum</a>.&nbsp;



“Before moving to Purdue, Ryan and I were both based at SUERC, where the argon-argon isotopic analyses of the alteration minerals in Lafayette took place,” Tremblay said.&nbsp;



Their partners at SUERC and the Natural History Museum have long contributed to studying Lafayette’s complex history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dating-minerals-in-meteorites">Dating minerals in meteorites</h2>



Dating the water-altered minerals in Lafayette, and others in its class of Martian meteorites called nakhlites, has been a central focus in planetary science, as they uniquely capture moments when liquid water was present on Mars.&nbsp;



Due to complex alterations over time, previous attempts to date these minerals were plagued with uncertainties.&nbsp;



However, the team has now developed a robust dating method that could be applied to other meteorites, enhancing our understanding of when water might have been present on Mars and other planetary bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-planetary-science">The future of planetary science</h2>



Thanks to the Stahura Undergraduate Meteorite Fund, Tremblay and Ickert’s research on the Lafayette Meteorite will continue, with the involvement of undergraduate students in Purdue EAPS.&nbsp;



This opportunity allows students to engage in real-world planetary science, helping to reveal the intricate histories of meteoritic samples.



Tremblay and her team’s work on the Lafayette Meteorite highlights its scientific significance, revealing a complex history that ties it to Mars’ geological past.&nbsp;



Their findings not only deepen our understanding of Mars but also set a precedent for future studies that might unveil even more about the red planet’s climate history, water activity, and potential for supporting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-mars-rocks-contain-signs-of-life-scientists-call-to-bring-them-back-to-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life</a>.



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Meteorite that struck Mars reveals when the planet had liquid water

An asteroid impact on Mars 11 million years ago sent fragments of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these pieces eventually crashed into Earth, making its way to Purdue University and becoming known as the Lafayette Meteorite.&nbsp; This rare find has been instrumental in unlocking secrets of Mars’ watery past, with new research recently published in the journal Geochemical Perspective Letters that provides insight into the timing and nature of Mars’ ancient water activity. Tracing Mars’ watery past Scientists have long known that the Lafayette...

Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West. Massive wildfires in the West have led to poor air quality across the region, causing respiratory problems for people far from the fire lines as well as grounding firefighting aircraft.
"It's been a nightmare to breathe," said <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=colorado&amp;filters=ufn%3a%22colorado%22+sid%3a%22a070c5c2-b22d-41d8-b869-f20e583c4f80%22&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=MB&amp;cvid=25f2a9ab3dd744e38d2113cfeafd8060&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfP8PQRg5BXbDJExOD1TP9bx1eOfzSbRMnoS42%21wXB11fyTrj8uxsa0Vfs22M6ABNmEk*tuYC82HdWHvyBfPeLfb&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">Okanogan County</a> Sheriff Frank Rogers in Washington state.
Conditions were starting to improve Tuesday and Rogers said he could see the sun for the first time in a week. Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West
That sun brought more heat to Washington, where firefighters kept a wary eye on rising temperatures and winds that threatened to expand what's already the largest wildfire on record in the state. Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West
Similar concerns existed in Southern <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/shasta-lake-northern-california/">California</a>, where temperatures of up to 106 degrees were forecast for interior valleys and deserts - conditions that could accelerate some of the 16 fires that are still burning in the state but posing little serious risk of major destruction.
The U.S. is in the middle of a severe wildfire season with some 11,600 square miles scorched so far. It's only the sixth-worst going back to 1960, but it's the most acreage burned by this date in a decade.
So many fires are burning in Washington state that managers are summoning help from abroad and 200 U.S. troops from a base in Tacoma in the first such use of active-duty soldiers in nine years.
Firefighters were grateful that 71 reinforcements had arrived from Australia and New Zealand to help lead efforts to contain the Okanogan fires along the border of Canada.
"`The Aussies are coming!" said Rick Isaacson, a spokesman for the firefighting effort.
The fires, which have claimed the lives of three firefighters, grew by 2.6 square miles on Monday night and have now burned 403 square miles. A total of 1,345 people were battling the flames.
The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for the area, saying temperatures were expected to climb into the 90s as humidity dropped and winds gusted to 20 mph. Thunderstorms were possible later in the week.
"Hot, dry and unstable conditions will create an environment conducive to increased growth on existing wildfires," the Weather Service said.
Fires also were burning in Montana and Idaho, where an atmospheric inversion was holding heavy smoke over western Montana, robbing wildfires of oxygen and preventing the sun from heating ground fuels.
The conditions dirtied the skies but also helped crews make progress on blazes near Noxon, Montana, and Clark Fork in northern Idaho.
Residents near Essex, Montana, remained under an evacuation advisory as a wildfire burned on the southern edge of Glacier National Park.
In Central California, nearly 200 firefighters were treated for allergic reactions to poison oak while battling a 5-square mile blaze on the coast.
The dreaded plant is so ubiquitous in the steep wilderness of San Luis Obispo County that crews can't avoid it, said Bennett Milloy, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
---
Keith Ridler contributed to this story from Boise, Idaho.
© 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.

Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West

Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West. Massive...

<div class="section">

Jakobshavn Glacier In Western Greenland Sheds Huge Chunk Of Ice. Satellite images show that the fastest moving glacier in the world shed a chunk of ice measuring around 12.5 sq km this week – one of the most significant calving events on record.

Radar images from Sentinel-1A captured the Jakobshavn glacier in western Greenland before and after the event, which took place between 14 and 16 August.

Comparing images taken on 27 July, and 13 and 19 August, the new face of the glacier has been pushed inland by several kilometres to what appears to be its furthest easterly location since monitoring began in the mid-1880s. Jakobshavn Glacier In Western Greenland Sheds Huge Chunk Of Ice

</div>
<div id="s_1" class="section">

The image time series suggests that between 27 July and 13 August, the glacier advanced westward before the calving caused rapid retreat of the ice front to its position on 19 August.

[caption id="attachment_2384086" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/26095006/glacier-Jakobshavn-greenland-calving_2big_sentinel1-esa.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384086" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/26095006/glacier-Jakobshavn-greenland-calving_2big_sentinel1-esa-150x150.jpg" alt="Radar images from Sentinel-1A captured the Jakobshavn glacier in western Greenland" width="150" height="150" /></a> Radar images from Sentinel-1A captured the Jakobshavn glacier in western Greenland[/caption]

It is estimated that the glacier lost a total area of 12.5 sq km. Assuming the ice is about 1400 m deep, this equates a volume of 17.5 cubic km – which could cover the whole of Manhattan Island by a layer of ice about 300 m thick.
<div id="s_2" class="section">

The history of this last calving event is also revealed in images taken by Sentinel-2A on 6 and 16 August.

Jakobshavn glacier drains 6.5% of the Greenland ice sheet, producing around 10% its icebergs. This amounts to some 35 billion tonnes of ice that calve every year.

Other similar events have been documented where the glacier parted with 7 sq km of ice, both earlier this year and back in 2010.

Icebergs are often so large that they cannot float away easily. They remain, sometimes for years, stuck on the bottom in shallower areas of the fjord until they finally melt enough to disperse, break into pieces or are pushed out by icebergs coming up from behind.

Studied for over 250 years, the Jakobshavn glacier has helped to develop our understanding of the importance of ice streams and glaciers in climate change, icecap glaciology, and how they affect sea level.

</div>
<div id="s_3" class="section">

Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-2A are the first two satellites in orbit for Europe’s Copernicus programme. While Sentinel-1A is an all-weather, day-and-night radar imaging mission, Sentinel-2A carries a multispectral imager.

Since radar can ‘see’ through clouds and in the dark, Sentinel-1A it is particularly useful for maritime surveillance, ship safety, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/green-mediterranean-diet-reduces-fatty-liver-disease-by-half/">sea</a>-ice charting and ice-sheet monitoring. Sentinel-2A also demonstrates here that it is also valuable for ice and climate monitoring.

Together, these and future Sentinels, in particular the upcoming Sentinel-3 mission, will add further complementary measurements for operational applications and scientific purposes.

</div>
</div>
&nbsp;

---

<a href="http://www.esa.int" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Space Agency</a>

Jakobshavn Glacier In Western Greenland Sheds Huge Chunk Of Ice

Jakobshavn Glacier In Western Greenland Sheds Huge Chunk Of Ice....

Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West. Massive wildfires in the West have led to poor air quality across the region, causing respiratory problems for people far from the fire lines as well as grounding firefighting aircraft.
"It's been a nightmare to breathe," said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers in Washington state.
Conditions were starting to improve Tuesday and Rogers said he could see the sun for the first time in a week.
That sun brought more heat to Washington, where firefighters kept a wary eye on rising temperatures and winds that threatened to expand what's already the largest wildfire on record in the state. Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West
Similar concerns existed in Southern <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=california&amp;cvid=6f51a8a5b483485da2e6b2a9e71f5d44&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">California</a>, where temperatures of up to 106 degrees were forecast for interior valleys and deserts - conditions that could accelerate some of the 16 fires that are still burning in the state but posing little serious risk of major destruction.
The U.S. is in the middle of a severe wildfire season with some 11,600 square miles scorched so far. It's only the sixth-worst going back to 1960, but it's the most acreage burned by this date in a decade.
So many fires are burning in Washington state that managers are summoning help from abroad and 200 U.S. troops from a base in Tacoma in the first such use of active-duty soldiers in nine years.
Firefighters were grateful that 71 reinforcements had arrived from Australia and New Zealand to help lead efforts to contain the Okanogan fires along the border of <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/the-fall-rhapsody-in-ottawa/">Canada.</a>
"`The Aussies are coming!" said Rick Isaacson, a spokesman for the firefighting effort.
The fires, which have claimed the lives of three firefighters, grew by 2.6 square miles on Monday night and have now burned 403 square miles. A total of 1,345 people were battling the flames.
The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for the area, saying temperatures were expected to climb into the 90s as humidity dropped and winds gusted to 20 mph. Thunderstorms were possible later in the week.
"Hot, dry and unstable conditions will create an environment conducive to increased growth on existing wildfires," the Weather Service said.
Fires also were burning in Montana and Idaho, where an atmospheric inversion was holding heavy smoke over western Montana, robbing wildfires of oxygen and preventing the sun from heating ground fuels.
The conditions dirtied the skies but also helped crews make progress on blazes near Noxon, Montana, and Clark Fork in northern Idaho.
Residents near Essex, Montana, remained under an evacuation advisory as a wildfire burned on the southern edge of Glacier National Park.
In Central California, nearly 200 firefighters were treated for allergic reactions to poison oak while battling a 5-square mile blaze on the coast.
The dreaded plant is so ubiquitous in the steep wilderness of San Luis Obispo County that crews can't avoid it, said Bennett Milloy, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
---
Keith Ridler contributed to this story from Boise, Idaho.
© 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.

Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West. Massive wildfires in the West have led to poor air quality across the region, causing respiratory problems for people far from the fire lines as well as grounding firefighting aircraft.
"It's been a nightmare to breathe," said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers in Washington state.
Conditions were starting to improve Tuesday and Rogers said he could see the sun for the first time in a week.
That sun brought more heat to Washington, where firefighters kept a wary eye on rising temperatures and winds that threatened to expand what's already the largest wildfire on record in the state.
Similar concerns existed in <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/santa-barbara-county-in-southern-california/">Southern California</a>, where temperatures of up to 106 degrees were forecast for interior valleys and deserts - conditions that could accelerate some of the 16 fires that are still burning in the state but posing little serious risk of major destruction.
The U.S. is in the middle of a severe wildfire season with some 11,600 square miles scorched so far. It's only the sixth-worst going back to 1960, but it's the most acreage burned by this date in a decade.
So many fires are burning in Washington state that managers are summoning help from abroad and 200 U.S. troops from a base in Tacoma in the first such use of active-duty soldiers in nine years.
Firefighters were grateful that 71 reinforcements had arrived from Australia and New Zealand to help lead efforts to contain the Okanogan fires along the border of Canada. Severe Wildfire Season Causing Respiratory Problems Across The West
"`The Aussies are coming!" said Rick Isaacson, a spokesman for the firefighting effort.
The fires, which have claimed the lives of three firefighters, grew by 2.6 square miles on Monday night and have now burned 403 square miles. A total of 1,345 people were battling the flames.
The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning for the area, saying temperatures were expected to climb into the 90s as humidity dropped and winds gusted to 20 mph. Thunderstorms were possible later in the week.
"Hot, dry and unstable conditions will create an environment conducive to increased growth on existing wildfires," the Weather Service said.
Fires also were burning in Montana and Idaho, where an atmospheric inversion was holding heavy smoke over western Montana, robbing wildfires of oxygen and preventing the sun from heating ground fuels.
The conditions dirtied the skies but also helped crews make progress on blazes near Noxon, Montana, and Clark Fork in northern Idaho.
Residents near Essex, <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=montana&amp;cvid=c8d896b264714abba7d2a01b9c8d1ef4&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Montana,</a> remained under an evacuation advisory as a wildfire burned on the southern edge of Glacier National Park.
In Central California, nearly 200 firefighters were treated for allergic reactions to poison oak while battling a 5-square mile blaze on the coast.
The dreaded plant is so ubiquitous in the steep wilderness of San Luis Obispo County that crews can't avoid it, said Bennett Milloy, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
---
Keith Ridler contributed to this story from Boise, Idaho.
© 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.

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El NinoWhile drought-plagued California is eager for rain, the forecast of a potentially Godzilla-like El Nino event has communities clearing out debris basins, urging residents to stock up on emergency supplies and even talking about how a deluge could affect the 50th Super Bowl.
Roofers, on the other hand, are reveling in the uptick in business as homeowners ready for the prospect of downpours after four years of dry weather.Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino
In San Francisco, officials are discussing how to contend with possible street closures if there is extensive rain or street flooding during the Super Bowl in February.
"As we move forward with Super Bowl planning, this is one of the things we've put out to various departments and entities," said Rob Dudgeon, deputy director of San Francisco's department of emergency management. "What if it has been raining really hard? What if it has been raining three or four days?"
In a state known for striking mountain landscapes and dramatic seaside cliffs, Californians are used to preparing for natural disasters ranging from treacherous wildfires and earthquakes to devastating floods and landslides.
Often, the state's residents must be ready for more than one potential calamity at a time. Right now, firefighters are battling blazes during the state's wildfire season but also getting ready for the prospect of wet winter months ahead.
Federal meteorologists recently said the<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coral-cores-el-nino-events/"> El Nino</a> event is already the second strongest on record for this time of year. While the warming of Pacific Ocean waters tends to bring heavy winter rain to California and much of the southern and eastern U.S., California's state climatologist noted only half the time when there have been big El Ninos has there been meaningful, heavy rains.
California would need 1 1/2 times its normal rainfall to get out of the extended drought, which is unlikely, according to Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=ocean&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=PF&amp;cvid=d06c25690ea94efb9132c5e81efc7555&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfP8PQRg5BXbDJExOD1TP9bxH6%21DIb32F7ZGLEGX3dNk5c1YXlzhd1wISQntQ0fNsw7iPCBpy23*QI67UK53EkG8&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">Oceanic</a> Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center.
Emergency planners said the prolonged dry conditions across the state could lead to more debris, fallen trees and flooding during early rains.
"The potential for flooding is a very definite possibility with strong storms after a drought," said Tammy Dunbar, emergency planning coordinator for Santa Clara County.
In Los Angeles County, workers have been clearing basins and channels to prevent flooding and capture as much storm water as possible to replenish local water supplies, said Bob Spencer, a spokesman for the county's public works department.
In Laguna Beach, officials are urging homeowners to clear terrace drains and install floodgates where needed. They will also have code enforcement officers personally visit flood-prone properties, said Ben Siegel, deputy city manager.
In some places, residents are heeding the call to get prepared. In Palm Springs, where it rarely rains, homeowners have been getting their roofs checked and gutters cleared, said Rob Winkle, operations manager at Western Pacific Roofing.
"They want someone to come out and tell them everything is going to be OK," said Winkle, who said the company is fielding 20 percent more calls than usual from worried residents.
During California's prolonged drought, Hull Brothers Roofing president Chuck Jewett said he shifted his business to focus on installing cooling roofs for consumers weary of the heat.
But since the media began reporting on the potential for an El Nino that a NASA oceanographer compared to Godzilla, Jewett said his Culver City-based company has seen a four-fold increase in calls and has a two week wait for evaluations.
"They are like a beehive that is all stirred up," Jewett said. "This is the busiest we have ever been."
© 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.

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El NinoWhile drought-plagued California is eager...

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino. While drought-plagued<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=california+desert&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=HS&amp;cvid=c2237057937442dc9bc00cc80bc9722e&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfP8PQRg5BXbDJExOD1TP9bxjdeBKc7xbYMCeSEBCVmjPFUmvoiIEDEOzU3OymhJAhvOtazc8sPgGFCiloh8Ykr6&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS"> California</a> is eager for rain, the forecast of a potentially Godzilla-like El Nino event has communities clearing out debris basins, urging residents to stock up on emergency supplies and even talking about how a deluge could affect the 50th Super Bowl.
Roofers, on the other hand, are reveling in the uptick in business as homeowners ready for the prospect of downpours after four years of dry weather. Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino
In <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/san-francisco-bay-from-space/">San Francisco</a>, officials are discussing how to contend with possible street closures if there is extensive rain or street flooding during the Super Bowl in February.
"As we move forward with Super Bowl planning, this is one of the things we've put out to various departments and entities," said Rob Dudgeon, deputy director of San Francisco's department of emergency management. "What if it has been raining really hard? What if it has been raining three or four days?"
In a state known for striking mountain landscapes and dramatic seaside cliffs, Californians are used to preparing for natural disasters ranging from treacherous wildfires and earthquakes to devastating floods and landslides.
Often, the state's residents must be ready for more than one potential calamity at a time. Right now, firefighters are battling blazes during the state's wildfire season but also getting ready for the prospect of wet winter months ahead.
Federal meteorologists recently said the El Nino event is already the second strongest on record for this time of year. While the warming of Pacific Ocean waters tends to bring heavy winter rain to California and much of the southern and eastern U.S., California's state climatologist noted only half the time when there have been big El Ninos has there been meaningful, heavy rains.
California would need 1 1/2 times its normal rainfall to get out of the extended drought, which is unlikely, according to Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center.
Emergency planners said the prolonged dry conditions across the state could lead to more debris, fallen trees and flooding during early rains.
"The potential for flooding is a very definite possibility with strong storms after a drought," said Tammy Dunbar, emergency planning coordinator for Santa Clara County.
In Los Angeles County, workers have been clearing basins and channels to prevent flooding and capture as much storm water as possible to replenish local water supplies, said Bob Spencer, a spokesman for the county's public works department.
In Laguna Beach, officials are urging homeowners to clear terrace drains and install floodgates where needed. They will also have code enforcement officers personally visit flood-prone properties, said Ben Siegel, deputy city manager.
In some places, residents are heeding the call to get prepared. In Palm Springs, where it rarely rains, homeowners have been getting their roofs checked and gutters cleared, said Rob Winkle, operations manager at Western Pacific Roofing.
"They want someone to come out and tell them everything is going to be OK," said Winkle, who said the company is fielding 20 percent more calls than usual from worried residents.
During California's prolonged drought, Hull Brothers Roofing president Chuck Jewett said he shifted his business to focus on installing cooling roofs for consumers weary of the heat.
But since the media began reporting on the potential for an El Nino that a NASA oceanographer compared to Godzilla, Jewett said his Culver City-based company has seen a four-fold increase in calls and has a two week wait for evaluations.
"They are like a beehive that is all stirred up," Jewett said. "This is the busiest we have ever been."
© 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.

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino. While drought-plagued California is...

Plants And Animals At Grand Canyon Accumulating Mercury Contamination. Scientists say the mercury contamination presence is a reminder that human activity can have far-reaching effects.

Researchers have found significant levels of mercury and selenium in plant and animal samples in the Grand Canyon. Plants And Animals At Grand Canyon Accumulating Mercury Contamination

The contaminants are accumulating throughout the Colorado River's food web, in everything from bugs to trout to algae. Researchers with the U.S. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/predict-paths-particles-geological-disasters/">Geological</a> Survey measured the toxic chemicals at six sites, spread over a 250-mile stretch of river downstream from Glen Canyon Dam.

The measurements were published this week in the journal <a class="tpstyle" href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.3077/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environmental Toxicity and Chemistry</a>.

Scientists say the contaminants' presence is a reminder that human activity can have far-reaching effects -- even in a remote and relatively well-protected ecosystem like the Grand Canyon's Colorado River.

"Managing exposure risks in the Grand Canyon will be a challenge, because sources and transport mechanisms of mercury and selenium extend far beyond Grand Canyon boundaries," David Walters, USGS research ecologist and lead author of the new study,<a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4303#.Vd24erSd7ww" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a press release</a>.

Some of the accumulating selenium is likely the result of mining runoff, but researchers acknowledge the Grand Canyon is rich with natural selenium. Most of the mercury, on the other hand, is manmade -- the result of coal plants and fertilizer-fed algae blooms in Lake Powell.

Though the toxins in the adult trout are low enough to be safe for human consumption, USGS researchers say the "concentrations in minnows and invertebrates exceeded dietary fish and wildlife toxicity thresholds."

Typically, scientists expect to find higher levels of contaminants in larger fish, but in this instance, researchers measured higher levels of mercury and selenium in smaller, younger rainbow trout.

"This inverted pattern likely has something to do with the novel food web structure that has developed in Grand Canyon," said <a class="tpstyle" title="Ted Kennedy" href="http://www.upi.com/topic/Ted_Kennedy/">Ted Kennedy</a>, USGS researcher and study co-author.

---

Credit: UPI

Plants And Animals At Grand Canyon Accumulating Mercury Contamination

Plants And Animals At Grand Canyon Accumulating Mercury Contamination. Scientists...

Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino. While drought-plagued California is eager for rain, the forecast of a potentially Godzilla-like El Nino event has communities clearing out debris basins, urging residents to stock up on emergency supplies and even talking about how a deluge could affect the 50th Super Bowl.
Roofers, on the other hand, are reveling in the uptick in business as homeowners ready for the prospect of downpours after four years of dry weather.
In San Francisco, officials are discussing how to contend with possible street closures if there is extensive rain or street flooding during the Super Bowl in February.
"As we move forward with Super Bowl planning, this is one of the things we've put out to various departments and entities," said Rob Dudgeon, deputy director of San Francisco's department of emergency management. "What if it has been raining really hard? What if it has been raining three or four days?"
In a state known for striking mountain landscapes and dramatic seaside cliffs, Californians are used to preparing for natural disasters ranging from treacherous wildfires and earthquakes to devastating floods and landslides.
Often, the state's residents must be ready for more than one potential calamity at a time. Right now, firefighters are battling blazes during the state's wildfire season but also getting ready for the prospect of wet winter months ahead.
Federal meteorologists recently said the El Nino event is already the second strongest on record for this time of year. While the warming of Pacific Ocean waters tends to bring heavy winter rain to California and much of the southern and eastern U.S., California's state climatologist noted only half the time when there have been big El Ninos has there been meaningful, heavy rains.
California would need 1 1/2 times its normal rainfall to get out of the extended drought, which is unlikely, according to Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center.
Emergency planners said the prolonged dry conditions across the state could lead to more debris, fallen trees and flooding during early rains.
"The potential for flooding is a very definite possibility with strong storms after a drought," said Tammy Dunbar, emergency planning coordinator for Santa Clara County.
In <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=los+angeles&amp;cvid=bb44a10425d74e738f08abf5cec83140&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Los Angeles</a> County, workers have been clearing basins and channels to prevent flooding and capture as much storm water as possible to replenish local water supplies, said Bob Spencer, a spokesman for the county's public works department.
In Laguna Beach, officials are urging homeowners to clear terrace drains and install floodgates where needed. They will also have code enforcement officers personally visit flood-prone properties, said Ben Siegel, deputy city manager. Drought-Ridden California Prepares For El Nino
In some places, residents are heeding the call to get prepared. In Palm Springs, where it rarely rains, homeowners have been getting their roofs checked and gutters cleared, said Rob Winkle, operations manager at Western <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/noumea-in-the-south-pacific-archipelago-of-new-caledonia/">Pacific</a> Roofing.
"They want someone to come out and tell them everything is going to be OK," said Winkle, who said the company is fielding 20 percent more calls than usual from worried residents.
During California's prolonged drought, Hull Brothers Roofing president Chuck Jewett said he shifted his business to focus on installing cooling roofs for consumers weary of the heat.
But since the media began reporting on the potential for an El Nino that a NASA oceanographer compared to Godzilla, Jewett said his Culver City-based company has seen a four-fold increase in calls and has a two week wait for evaluations.
"They are like a beehive that is all stirred up," Jewett said. "This is the busiest we have ever been."
© 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.

Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of Plants. A study by the University of Liverpool has found that the genetic diversity of wild plant species could be altered rapidly by anthropogenic climate change.

Scientists studied the genetic responses of different wild plant species, located in a natural grassland ecosystem near Buxton, to a variety of simulated climate change treatments--including drought, watering, and warming--over a 15-year period.

Analysis of DNA markers in the plants revealed that the climate change treatments had altered the genetic composition of the plant populations. The results also indicated a process of evolutionary change in one of the study species, suggesting that genetic diversity may be able to buffer plants against the harmful effects of climate change, allowing an "evolutionary rescue"

Dr Raj Whitlock, from the University's Institute of Integrative Biology, said:

"Climate change is expected to present a significant challenge to the persistence of many populations of wild plant species.

"Our understanding of the potential for such responses to climate change is still limited, and there have been very few experimental tests carried out within intact ecosystems.

"We found that experimental <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-favors-some-arctic-insects-over-others/">climate change</a> treatments can modify the genetic structure of plant populations within 15 years, which is very fast, in evolutionary terms.

"Evolutionary flexibility within the plant populations at Buxton may help to explain why the grassland there has proven resistant to simulated environmental change." Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=plants&amp;cvid=050c1c8077784e48897251ead92059dd&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Plants</a>

The experiment took place at the Buxton Climate Change Impacts Laboratory (BCCIL) in Derbyshire, where intact species-rich limestone grassland has been subjected to experimentally manipulated climate treatments since 1993 (involving summer drought, increased temperature, and enhanced rainfall). BCCIL was set up by Prof Phil Grime (University of Sheffield), and is currently run by Dr Jason Fridley (Syracuse University) and Prof Grime, with support from the USA's National Science Foundation. Climate treatments at the site are amongst the longest-running multi-factor climate manipulations anywhere in the world.

---

<a href="http://www.liv.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Liverpool</a>

Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of Plants

Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of Plants. A...

Sierra Exif JPEG

Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent. When you fill a sink, the water rises at the same rate to the same height in every corner. That's not the way it works with our rising seas.

According to the 23-year record of satellite data from <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Nasa&amp;cvid=99708273b699490ab7869a0486cfbb3a&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA</a> and its partners, the sea level is rising a few millimeters a year -- a fraction of an inch. If you live on the U.S. East Coast, though, your sea level is rising two or three times faster than average. If you live in Scandinavia, it's falling. Residents of China's Yellow River delta are swamped by sea level rise of more than nine inches (25 centimeters) a year. Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent

These regional differences in sea level change will become even more apparent in the future, as ice sheets melt. For instance, when the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is totally gone, the average global sea level will rise four feet. But the East Coast of the United States will see an additional 14 to 15 inches above that average.

Tides, winds and ocean currents play a role in these regional differences, but an increasingly important mover and shaker is the solid Earth itself. Global warming is not just affecting the surface of our world; it's making the Earth move under our feet. Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent

Unless a volcano or earthquake are in the news, we tend to think of our home planet as solid rock. But 50 miles below our feet, there's a layer thousands of miles thick that can flow like a liquid over thousands of years. The tectonic plates of Earth's crust float on this viscous layer, called the mantle, like a vanilla wafer on a very thick pudding.

[caption id="attachment_2384134" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/27091856/greenland-bedrock-rise_1big_nasa.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384134" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/27091856/greenland-bedrock-rise_1big_nasa-150x150.jpg" alt="Greenland's rising bedrock interacts with its ice loss from global climate change." width="150" height="150" /></a> Greenland's rising bedrock interacts with its ice loss from global climate change.[/caption]

If you were to put a strawberry on top of that vanilla wafer, the added weight would make the cookie sink into the pudding. In the same way, heavy weights on Earth's crust push it down into the mantle, which flows away and bulges out elsewhere. The miles-thick ice sheets of <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/nearly-all-of-greenlands-glaciers-are-retreating/">Greenland</a> and Antarctica have been depressing the crust beneath them for millennia. That weight has a second effect that you won't see in your dessert: its gravitational pull on the surrounding ocean makes seawater pile up around the coastlines.

These weight-filled dents in the mantle don't make a permanent scar. When the extra weight lifts, the mantle rebounds. This doesn't just happen at the majestic pace of mountain ranges crumbling. It happens every day.

"The solid earth can respond very quickly -- nearly instantaneously," said Mark Tamisiea, a scientist at the National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool, England, who studies the connection between sea levels and Earth processes. Tamisiea cited the example of solid-Earth tides, which pull the crust outward as much as a foot (30 centimeters) toward the moon as it passes overhead. Similarly, Earth has an instant initial response to glaciers and ice sheets melting, called the elastic response.

Since NASA launched the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment twin satellites in 2002, scientists have had an extremely precise measurement of the contribution that ice sheets' loss of mass contributes to changes in gravity and what it is adding to sea level rise. "Because of GRACE, we've had a pretty good idea of what's happening since 2002," said Steve Nerem of the University of Colorado, head of NASA's Sea Level Change Team. "We know how much [of sea level rise] is from Greenland, how much is from Antarctica, how much is from glaciers."

Because every ice sheet and glacier has a unique location and size, each one creates a pattern of response in the ocean as individual as a fingerprint. "The physics behind understanding these fingerprints is very well understood," Tamisiea said. "It's like the tides." He and Jerry Mitrovica of Harvard University have calculated the fingerprints of East and West Antarctica and Greenland around the globe. "We do each ice sheet individually so we can use the latest GRACE analysis," Tamisiea explained. "You can sort of add the effects up and see what the result is for any given location."

As any ice sheet melts, sea levels along coastlines as much as 1,500 miles (2,000 kilometers) away will fall as seawater escapes from the reduced gravitational pull and the crust lifts. The escaping seawater flows clear across the equator: the melting of Antarctica affects the U.S. East and West coasts, and Greenland's disappearance impacts the coastline of Brazil. These regional differences are significant – such as in the case of the East Coast of the United States.

The East Coast is also on the losing end of another important solid-Earth process that affects regional sea levels: post-glacial rebound. After the elastic response to a crustal weight loss, uplift continues more slowly for many millennia. North America is still responding to the massive melt-off at the end of the last ice age 6,000 years ago. The North American tectonic plate wasn't evenly loaded during that ice age: ice sheets were sitting on what is now Canada and Greenland, while most of today's United States remained ice free. This ice load pushed the mantle out from under Canada and buoyed up the United States. Today, the U.S. side of the North American plate is sinking like the downhill end of a seesaw as the northern side continues to lift.

Greenland's uplift from postglacial rebound means the island is gaining mass from below and its bedrock is continuously rising. At the same time, it is losing mass from above as its ice melts. GRACE measures the net result of these opposing processes, not just the result of melting ice alone. A National Science Foundation- and NASA-funded program called the Greenland GPS Network is working to overcome this problem. Led by Michael Bevis of Ohio State University, the program is using more than 50 GPS stations in Greenland to measure Greenland's rise and fall. The network is dense enough, and the instruments record elevation precisely enough, to distinguish the steady, long-term rise caused by postglacial rebound from shorter-term changes in elevation caused by the weight of the winter snows and loss of weight in summer. The goal of the project is to provide a "correction factor" for postglacial rebound that can be applied to measurements by GRACE and succeeding missions so that the remainder is an accurate measurement of the loss of mass from melting.

Scientists currently believe that ice sheet fingerprints will be the major driver of future regional variations in sea levels. They are working on questions of how these solid-Earth processes interact with other global and local drivers of sea level rise. "We have to understand global and larger-scale regional changes to do localized impact studies," Tamisiea explained. "In some places, it may very well be that regional processes will be the most important signal. There has to be a continuum of understanding of the global average, regional changes, and more localized processes. We'll need all of those layers to make viable predictions."

---

<a href="http://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NASA</a>

Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent

Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent. When...

Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent. When you fill a sink, the water rises at the same rate to the same height in every corner. That's not the way it works with our rising seas.

According to the 23-year record of satellite data from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> and its partners, the sea level is rising a few millimeters a year -- a fraction of an inch. If you live on the U.S. East Coast, though, your sea level is rising two or three times faster than average. If you live in Scandinavia, it's falling. Residents of China's Yellow River delta are swamped by sea level rise of more than nine inches (25 centimeters) a year.

These regional differences in sea level change will become even more apparent in the future, as ice sheets melt. For instance, when the Amundsen Sea sector of the West <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/business-as-usual-in-antarctica/">Antarctic</a> Ice Sheet is totally gone, the average global sea level will rise four feet. But the East Coast of the United States will see an additional 14 to 15 inches above that average. Regional Differences In Sea Level Rise Becoming More Apparent

Tides, winds and ocean currents play a role in these regional differences, but an increasingly important mover and shaker is the solid Earth itself. Global warming is not just affecting the surface of our world; it's making the Earth move under our feet.

Unless a volcano or earthquake are in the news, we tend to think of our home planet as solid rock. But 50 miles below our feet, there's a layer thousands of miles thick that can flow like a liquid over thousands of years. The tectonic plates of Earth's crust float on this viscous layer, called the mantle, like a vanilla wafer on a very thick pudding.

[caption id="attachment_2384134" align="alignleft" width="150"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/27091856/greenland-bedrock-rise_1big_nasa.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2384134" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/08/27091856/greenland-bedrock-rise_1big_nasa-150x150.jpg" alt="Greenland's rising bedrock interacts with its ice loss from global climate change." width="150" height="150" /></a> Greenland's rising bedrock interacts with its ice loss from global climate change.[/caption]

If you were to put a strawberry on top of that vanilla wafer, the added weight would make the cookie sink into the pudding. In the same way, heavy weights on Earth's crust push it down into the mantle, which flows away and bulges out elsewhere. The miles-thick ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica have been depressing the crust beneath them for millennia. That weight has a second effect that you won't see in your dessert: its gravitational pull on the surrounding ocean makes seawater pile up around the coastlines.

These weight-filled dents in the mantle don't make a permanent scar. When the extra weight lifts, the mantle rebounds. This doesn't just happen at the majestic pace of mountain ranges crumbling. It happens every day.

"The solid earth can respond very quickly -- nearly instantaneously," said Mark Tamisiea, a scientist at the National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool, England, who studies the connection between sea levels and Earth processes. Tamisiea cited the example of solid-Earth tides, which pull the crust outward as much as a foot (30 centimeters) toward the moon as it passes overhead. Similarly, Earth has an instant initial response to glaciers and ice sheets melting, called the elastic response.

Since NASA launched the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment twin satellites in 2002, scientists have had an extremely precise measurement of the contribution that ice sheets' loss of mass contributes to changes in gravity and what it is adding to sea level rise. "Because of GRACE, we've had a pretty good idea of what's happening since 2002," said Steve Nerem of the University of Colorado, head of NASA's Sea Level Change Team. "We know how much [of sea level rise] is from Greenland, how much is from Antarctica, how much is from glaciers."

Because every ice sheet and glacier has a unique location and size, each one creates a pattern of response in the ocean as individual as a fingerprint. "The physics behind understanding these fingerprints is very well understood," Tamisiea said. "It's like the tides." He and Jerry Mitrovica of Harvard University have calculated the fingerprints of East and West Antarctica and Greenland around the globe. "We do each ice sheet individually so we can use the latest GRACE analysis," Tamisiea explained. "You can sort of add the effects up and see what the result is for any given location."

As any ice sheet melts, sea levels along coastlines as much as 1,500 miles (2,000 kilometers) away will fall as seawater escapes from the reduced gravitational pull and the crust lifts. The escaping seawater flows clear across the equator: the melting of Antarctica affects the U.S. East and West coasts, and Greenland's disappearance impacts the coastline of Brazil. These regional differences are significant – such as in the case of the East Coast of the United States.

The East Coast is also on the losing end of another important solid-Earth process that affects regional sea levels: post-glacial rebound. After the elastic response to a crustal weight loss, uplift continues more slowly for many millennia. North America is still responding to the massive melt-off at the end of the last ice age 6,000 years ago. The North American tectonic plate wasn't evenly loaded during that ice age: ice sheets were sitting on what is now Canada and Greenland, while most of today's United States remained ice free. This ice load pushed the mantle out from under Canada and buoyed up the United States. Today, the U.S. side of the North American plate is sinking like the downhill end of a seesaw as the northern side continues to lift.

Greenland's uplift from postglacial rebound means the island is gaining mass from below and its bedrock is continuously rising. At the same time, it is losing mass from above as its ice melts. GRACE measures the net result of these opposing processes, not just the result of melting ice alone. A National Science Foundation- and NASA-funded program called the Greenland GPS Network is working to overcome this problem. Led by Michael Bevis of Ohio State University, the program is using more than 50 GPS stations in Greenland to measure Greenland's rise and fall. The network is dense enough, and the instruments record elevation precisely enough, to distinguish the steady, long-term rise caused by postglacial rebound from shorter-term changes in elevation caused by the weight of the winter snows and loss of weight in summer. The goal of the project is to provide a "correction factor" for postglacial rebound that can be applied to measurements by GRACE and succeeding missions so that the remainder is an accurate measurement of the loss of mass from melting.

Scientists currently believe that ice sheet fingerprints will be the major driver of future regional variations in sea levels. They are working on questions of how these solid-Earth processes interact with other global and local drivers of sea level rise. "We have to understand global and larger-scale regional changes to do localized impact studies," Tamisiea explained. "In some places, it may very well be that regional processes will be the most important signal. There has to be a continuum of understanding of the global average, regional changes, and more localized processes. We'll need all of those layers to make viable predictions."

---

<a href="http://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NASA</a>

Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of Plants. A study by the University of Liverpool has found that the genetic diversity of wild plant species could be altered rapidly by anthropogenic climate change.

Scientists studied the genetic responses of different wild plant species, located in a natural grassland ecosystem near Buxton, to a variety of simulated climate change treatments--including drought, watering, and warming--over a 15-year period.

Analysis of DNA markers in the plants revealed that the climate change treatments had altered the genetic composition of the plant populations. The results also indicated a process of evolutionary change in one of the study species, suggesting that genetic diversity may be able to buffer plants against the harmful effects of climate change, allowing an "evolutionary rescue" Study: Climate Change Can Alter Genetic Diversity Of Plants

Dr Raj Whitlock, from the University's Institute of Integrative Biology, said:

"Climate change is expected to present a significant challenge to the persistence of many populations of wild plant species.

"Our understanding of the potential for such responses to climate change is still limited, and there have been very few experimental tests carried out within intact ecosystems.

"We found that experimental climate change treatments can modify the genetic structure of plant populations within 15 years, which is very fast, in evolutionary terms.

"Evolutionary flexibility within the plant populations at Buxton may help to explain why the grassland there has proven resistant to simulated environmental change."

The experiment took place at the Buxton Climate Change Impacts Laboratory (BCCIL) in Derbyshire, where intact species-rich limestone grassland has been subjected to experimentally manipulated climate treatments since 1993 (involving summer drought, increased temperature, and enhanced rainfall). BCCIL was set up by Prof Phil Grime (University of Sheffield), and is currently run by Dr Jason Fridley (Syracuse University) and Prof Grime, with support from the USA's National Science Foundation. Climate treatments at the site are amongst the longest-running multi-factor climate manipulations anywhere in the world.

---

<a href="http://www.liv.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Liverpool</a>

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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 the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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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How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



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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Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&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.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



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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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



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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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; 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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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&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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How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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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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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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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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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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