If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with technology comparable to ours, would they be able to detect Earth and recognize evidence of human activity? If so, what signals would be most visible, and from how far away?



These thought-provoking questions have been explored in a new study led by Dr. Sofia Sheikh of the SETI Institute.



Using a theoretical, model-based approach, this research is the first to analyze multiple types of technosignatures - the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/searching-for-technosignatures-from-intelligent-life-in-the-cosmos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicators</a> of advanced technology - together, rather than examining them separately. 



The results suggest that radio signals, particularly planetary radar emissions from the now-defunct Arecibo Observatory, would be the most detectable human-made signatures. These signals are potentially visible from as far as 12,000 light-years away.



Other signals, such as atmospheric pollutants, could also be detected, though at significantly shorter distances.&nbsp;



As observational technology continues to improve, scientists may be able to identify similar signatures on distant exoplanets, offering new ways to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-most-detectable-signals">Earth’s most detectable signals</h2>



Among all of the potential signals emanating from Earth, radio transmissions appear to be the most prominent on a galactic scale.&nbsp;



Radio telescopes remain the primary tool for <a href="https://www.seti.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SETI</a> (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) research, as scientists scan the skies for unnatural radio waves that might originate from advanced civilizations.&nbsp;



Given the strength of Earth's planetary radar emissions, researchers hypothesize that if extraterrestrials use similar technology to search for signals, Earth might stand out as a detectable world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-atmospheric-technosignatures">Exploring atmospheric technosignatures</h2>



Beyond radio waves, the study explored atmospheric technosignatures, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-will-increase-dramatically-in-a-hotter-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a> such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - a byproduct of industrial activity.&nbsp;



Recent advances in space-based instruments, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), could enable astronomers to detect such gases in exoplanet atmospheres.



According to the study’s findings, extraterrestrials equipped with similarly advanced telescopes could detect Earth's atmospheric pollutants from a maximum distance of 5.7 light-years, just beyond Proxima Centauri, the closest known exoplanetary system.



This suggests that industrial emissions could serve as an indirect way of identifying advanced civilizations. If scientists were to detect unusual levels of pollutants in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, it might hint at the presence of a technologically developed society.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-aliens-detect-on-earth">What would aliens detect on Earth?</h2>



As an observer approaches our planet, additional technosignatures become detectable. At closer distances, extraterrestrial astronomers would begin to detect multiple forms of human activity on Earth. 



City lights from urban centers could be visible from space. High-powered laser emissions used for communication, military applications, and scientific research would also be detectable. 



The thermal signature of cities, where artificial structures retain more heat than surrounding natural landscapes, would reveal urban heat islands. Additionally, the growing number of satellites and debris in Earth's orbit could be observed by advanced extraterrestrial telescopes.



Taken together, these overlapping signals would paint a compelling picture of an industrialized world, potentially making Earth one of the most recognizable planets to an alien observer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-earth-as-a-cosmic-mirror">Using Earth as a cosmic mirror</h2>



The experts emphasized that understanding Earth’s own technosignatures is critical for refining the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. By identifying which of our own signals are most detectable, researchers can better anticipate what kinds of signatures to look for on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-discovery-nasa-identifies-over-5500-distant-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoplanets</a>.



Study co-author Macy Huston is a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley’s Department of Astronomy.



“Our goal with this project was to bring SETI back 'down to Earth' for a moment and think about where we really are today with Earth's technosignatures and detection capabilities,” explained Huston.&nbsp;



“In SETI, we should never assume other life and technology would be just like ours, but quantifying what 'ours' means can help put SETI searches into perspective.”



Sheikh echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that studying Earth's own impact on its environment can provide valuable insights into how extraterrestrial civilizations might be identified.



“One of the most satisfying aspects of this work was getting to use SETI as a cosmic mirror: what does Earth look like to the rest of the galaxy? And how would our current impacts on our planet be perceived?” said Sheikh.



“While of course we cannot know the answer, this work allowed us to extrapolate and imagine what we might assume if we ever discover a planet with, say, high concentrations of pollutants in its atmosphere.”



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



SETI research has long focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-aliens-sending-radio-signals-to-each-other/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radio signals</a> as the primary method for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence, but this study demonstrates the importance of a multi-wavelength approach - examining different forms of technosignatures across the electromagnetic spectrum.



Current and future telescopes will improve detection sensitivity, allowing scientists to expand the search for life beyond Earth. Advanced observatories may eventually identify new atmospheric technosignatures, such as alternative industrial pollutants or artificial climate alterations.



Additionally, long-term studies tracking the evolution of Earth's technosignatures may provide fresh insights into how civilizations modify their environments over time.



As new space-based observatories come online and human activities continue to reshape Earth’s atmospheric composition, periodic reassessments of the planet's detectability could refine our approach to discovering extraterrestrial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-of-the-nbsp-study">Implications of the&nbsp;study</h2>



Ultimately, this study highlights both the strengths and limitations of current SETI efforts. While Earth is highly detectable via radio waves, other technosignatures - such as pollution - would require relatively close proximity for extraterrestrials to observe.&nbsp;



As astronomers continue their search, understanding these limitations will help shape strategies for identifying distant technological civilizations.



Whether or not intelligent extraterrestrial beings are currently observing Earth, this research emphasizes the importance of looking outward to understand our place in the cosmos.



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If aliens could detect Earth from their planet, what would they see?

If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with technology comparable to ours, would they be able to detect Earth and recognize evidence of human activity? If so, what signals would be most visible, and from how far away? These thought-provoking questions have been explored in a new study led by Dr. Sofia Sheikh of the SETI Institute. Using a theoretical, model-based approach, this research is the first to analyze multiple types of technosignatures - the indicators of advanced technology - together, rather than examining them separately.  The results suggest...

April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in US. Feeling soggy? Last month was the wettest on record for the contiguous United States, according to federal meteorologists.
On average 4.36 inches of rain and snow - mostly rain - fell over the Lower 48 in May, sloshing past October 2009 which had been the wettest month in U.S. records with 4.29 inches. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration records go back to 1895. April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in US
<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/investigation-noaa-trump-dorian/">NOAA</a> climate scientist Jake Crouch calculated that comes to more than 200 trillion gallons of water in May.
Crouch said the record was triggered by a stalled pattern of storms that dumped massive amounts of rain in the central U.S., especially in <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=texas&amp;cvid=7c184dcdb8754cf194488a786d1607f0&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Texas</a> and Oklahoma, which had their rainiest months.
Oklahoma and Texas had been in a five-year drought and it was washed away in just one month, Crouch said: "It's like one disaster ending a catastrophe." April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in US
Colorado had its rainiest May on record. Arkansas, Nebraska and Utah had their second wettest month on record. Fourteen states had one of their 10 rainiest Mays on record, all of them west of the Mississippi River and east of California. April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in US
Still, parts of the Northeast were unusually dry. It was the second driest May for Massachusetts and the third driest May for Rhode Island and New Jersey.
Last month was 1.45 inches wetter than 20th-century average for May. It was only the seventh time the entire contiguous United States averaged four inches of rain or more.
The global climate phenomenon El Nino, which starts with a warming in the central Pacific and changes weather worldwide for a year or so, is usually associated with such heavy rainfall, Crouch said. He added that it is too early to say if it triggered the record moisture. Also, more heavy downpours are expected as the world warms, but Crouch said there's no way to connect climate change to a single, soggy month.
May's average temperature in the U.S. was 60.8 degrees, which is slightly warmer than the 20th-century average. However, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island had their warmest Mays on record.
---
Online:
NOAA: <a href="http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/summary-info/national/201505" target="-blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/summary-info/national/201505</a>
---
Seth Borenstein can be followed at <a href="http://twitter.com/borenbears" target="-blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://twitter.com/borenbears</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in US

April Showers? More like May! Wettest Month on Record in...

Crude Oil Shipper Settles in Lac-Megantic Rail Disaster. MIAMI, June 9 (UPI) -- A company tied to the sale of the oil on the train that crashed in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in 2013 said it agreed to contribute to a settlement for victims.

World Fuel Services Corp. said it agreed to contribute about $90 million to a compensation fund for victims of the 2013 derailment as <a class="tpstyle" href="http://ir.wfscorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=101792&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=2057333" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">part of a settlement</a> with the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway and its bankruptcy trustees. Crude Oil Shipper Settles in Lac-Megantic Rail Disaster

"We believe that participating in the settlement and contributing to the compensation fund is in the best interests of our shareholders and will also aid in providing closure to those affected by this tragic accident," the company's chairman and chief executive officer, Michael Kasbar, said in a statement.

A World Fuel subsidiary sold the crude oil that was on the train at the time of the incident. More than 40 people were killed in Lac-Megantic after the derailment of a train carrying tankers of crude oil from North Dakota to Canadian refineries.

U.S. regulators in early 2013 started an operation dubbed Bakken Blitz to examine how shippers are classifying crude oils that may be more prone to detonate in some types of rail tankers. Supporters of the energy industry said they had questions about the concerns raised over Bakken oil, a grade found in North Dakota.

North American crude oil production has increased to the point that it's more than the existing pipeline infrastructure can handle, leaving energy companies to rely more on rail for transport. More rail disasters involving crude oil have occurred in recent years as a result.

In March, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2015/03/09/Canada-under-pressure-after-oil-train-derailment/4341425905382/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dispatched investigators</a> to the site of a derailment of a train carrying crude oil through the village of Gogama in Ontario. The derailment was the second in the region in less than a month.

Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway blamed the air brakes on the locomotive holding the freight for the Lac-Megantic incident and later filed for bankruptcy protection.

Crude Oil Shipper Settles in Lac-Megantic Rail Disaster

Crude Oil Shipper Settles in Lac-Megantic Rail Disaster. MIAMI, June...

Researchers Rush to Understand Alaska's Warming Trend. A group of scientists from the Atmospheric Measurement Research (ARM) Climate Research Facility won’t be looking for gold or oil this summer as they crisscross Alaska’s North Slope in an airplane. Instead, the ARM Airborne Carbon Measurements V (ARM-ACME V) team—led by Sebastien Biraud from U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory—will run an aerial campaign from June 1 to September 15, measuring trace gas concentrations, aerosols, and cloud properties to find out why current climate models underestimate how rapidly the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=arctic&amp;cvid=8b84b04330e744e5babf08f7dc4b0bba&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Arctic</a> is warming. Researchers Rush to Understand Alaska's Warming Trend

Using the ARM Aerial Facility’s (AAF) Gulfstream-159 (G-1)research aircraft, the team will fly three possible flight paths between Prudhoe Bay, Oliktok Point, Barrow, Atqasuk, Ivotuk, and Toolik Lake measuring carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide—also known as trace gases—using two different types of gas analyzers and collecting air samples of trace gases with a 12-flask sampler. The aircraft payload also provides measurements of aerosol and cloud properties, atmospheric thermodynamics, and solar/infrared radiation.

Since arctic clouds are known to exert a significant influence on atmospheric radiation and may play a role in observed arctic warming, the ARM-ACME V campaign will also address populations of liquid droplets and ice crystals to help characterize the properties of cloud layers. Measuring aerosol concentration and radiation will help scientists examine how clouds and aerosols interact with each other and with different layers of arctic air.

This research will also link missions supported by multiple federal agencies, like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment missions and the DOE Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiment Arctic project, according to Biraud.

Verifying Ground-site Data
When passing over established ground sites, such as the two ARM sites at Oliktok Point and Barrow—the northernmost point in the United States—the G-1 will fly a spiral pattern up to a maximum of 10,000 or 20,000 feet, depending upon the strength of vertical mixing of gases. The data collected will be used to help put ground measurements being taken at these sites into a regional context. Other ground sites being covered include: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory at Barrow; the Long Term Ecological Research site at Toolik Lake; and two San Diego University sites at Atqasuk and Ivotuk.

The G-1 will follow a fourth flight path north, above the Arctic Ocean between Oliktok Point and Prudhoe Bay, alternately climbing and descending between 300 and 3,000 feet and spiraling up to 20,000 feet at the 75th parallel before returning. Such airborne observations are expected to help scientists accomplish a number of objectives that will enhance their understanding of Earth’s weather patterns in hopes of reducing the uncertainty of current global and regional climate simulations and projections.

[caption id="attachment_2382181" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/alaska-warming-pano_LBNL.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2382181" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/alaska-warming-pano_LBNL-300x233.jpg" alt="Airborne measurements taken during the ARM-ACME V campaign from June 1 to September 15 will include samples from as high as 20,000 feet to verify ground measurement readings over ARM facilities such as in Barrow (top) and Oliktok Point (bottom). (Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)" width="300" height="233" /></a> Airborne measurements taken during the ARM-ACME V campaign from June 1 to September 15 will include samples from as high as 20,000 feet to verify ground measurement readings over ARM facilities such as in Barrow (top) and Oliktok Point (bottom). (Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)[/caption]

The ARM-ACME V campaign flight patterns and instrumentation are designed to collect a unique data set of trace-gas concentrations and atmospheric properties, according to Beat Schmid, Technical Director of the AAF at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

"I believe our trace carbon-cycle gas observations are very accurate," he explains. "The data will be very detailed. I hope this plan will complement the work of other groups or agencies and add to our understanding of the carbon cycle in this sensitive region."

Improving Estimates for Emission Sources
By characterizing atmospheric gas mixing ratios (volume of gas per volume of air) across the North Slope, scientists hope to improve the estimates of the volume of gases like carbon dioxide and methane being emitted from biological sources such as Alaska’s permafrost layer which stores large amounts of carbon. Permafrost is thawing at an accelerated pace due to rising air temperature and this degradation releases carbon dioxide and methane—two greenhouse gases that affect the amount of radiant energy that can reach or leave the Earth. Scientists will also use soot spectroscopy observations to fine-tune their understanding of how heat-producing activities, such as biomass burning and oil and gas production, contribute to Arctic warming.

"Warming has two effects," according to Margaret Torn, co-principal investigator for the ARM-ACME V campaign. "As arctic tundra thaws, organic matter decomposes, releasing carbon dioxide and methane, two greenhouse gases. At the same time, the warming trend has a greening effect on Alaska that you can see from space. The additional photosynthesis occurring as a result of this greening takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. We want to determine when one effect is more important than the other—and why." Researchers Rush to Understand Alaska's Warming Trend

"These flights will also be looking at surface properties like albedo, which is the amount of solar radiation reflected by the Earth," Torn added. "When solar energy is reflected back into space, it reduces the amount of energy that is available to influence atmospheric convection and gas mixing. That affects the weather."

The ARM-ACME V campaign will also collect more detailed data on the distribution of aerosols that scientists can use to test the accuracy of climate simulation models. One goal is to learn more about the roles played by black and brown carbon in changing the balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the earth.

The G-1 research aircraft will be based at the airport in Deadhorse, <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/dust-streams-over-the-gulf-of-alaska/">Alaska,</a> just outside Prudhoe Bay. During the 15-week campaign, 16 team members will rotate in and out of Alaska in shifts of five for no longer than three weeks at a time. The team will make two or three four-hour flights per week, for a campaign total of 140 hours of observations.

"This is the leanest [staffed] G-1 deployment we have ever done!" shared Schmid.
ARM researchers have been taking airborne carbon measurements for a number of years that have contributed to understanding carbon exchange processes and how carbon dioxide and associated water and energy fluxes influence the amount of sunlight that is absorbed by the earth and how much energy is radiated back to space, as well convective processes and carbon dioxide concentrations over the ARM region. ARM-ACME campaigns have also focused on how greenhouse gases are transported on continental scales.

"Previous ARM-ACME campaigns over the Southern Great Plains documented greenhouse gases near the surface of the Earth that tell us about how land use, fracking and the ecosystem influence production of the gases," Torn concluded. "We also flew [measured] higher in the atmosphere, and those higher elevation measurements tell us how greenhouse gas concentrations are changing over a larger region."

---

<a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>

Researchers Rush to Understand Alaska's Warming Trend

Researchers Rush to Understand Alaska's Warming Trend. A group of...

Land Management Practices to Become Important as Biofuels Use Grows. The handling of agricultural crop residues appears to have a large impact on soil's ability to retain carbon, making land management practices increasingly important, especially under a scenario where cellulosic materials become more heavily used as a feedstock for ethanol production, according to a recently published study led by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.

“Plants and soil are carbon sinks,” said Argonne climate scientist Beth Drewniak, who led the study. “Soils lock carbon away for long periods of time. But when plant residues are harvested, not only are inputs of carbon and other nutrients to soil lost, but decomposition is accelerated, causing soils to lose additional carbon.” Land Management Practices to Become Important as Biofuels Use Grows

That fact becomes significant as the nation moves closer to a codified federal target of producing 136 billion liters of renewable fuels by 2022, of which 61 billion liters is expected to come from cellulosic ethanol, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Cellulosic biomasses are important alternatives to conventional ethanol feedstock like corn, which may actually increase greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, U.S. production of corn will be insufficient to meet large-scale demand for biofuels.

Carbon’s retention in soil helps keep carbon dioxide out of the air. Lands where conventional crops like corn and soybeans have been cultivated for extended periods have lost up to 65 percent of so-called soil organic carbon (SOC) when compared to grassland sites with their native vegetation intact, said Drewniak, corresponding author of the paper, “Modeling the impact of agricultural land use and management on U.S. carbon budgets,” recently published in the journal Biogeosciences.

While more modest carbon losses occurred when a greater percentage of the residue remained in the field, SOC increased by 2.6 percent when 90 percent of harvest residue is returned to the soil.

The study's results were generated using the Community Land Model (CLM)-Crop and are comparable to findings from physical studies. The CLM is a computer-modeling tool used to explore how land use and management techniques, including plant variety and fertilizer application, impact soil carbon levels at regional and global scales. CLM-Crop is used to examine the impact of land management practices on SOC storage in croplands in the continental United States during a 170-year period.

"Our simulations indicate that disturbance through cultivation will always result in a loss of soil carbon, and management practices will have a large influence on the magnitude of SOC loss," according to the paper.

For example, limiting or eliminating the use of fertilizer had the biggest impact on crop yields and SOC, combined. Fertilization, of course, increases yields, as well as the possibility to increase the amount of biomass returned to the soil as residue, allowing soil to keep nutrients absorbed during crop growth and improving the land's fertility.

Cellulosic biofuel production is expected to involve the use of crop residue—the stems and leaves of plants—but the increased use of residues for ethanol production could significantly reduce soil carbon storage capability, as well as plant productivity.

Soil is the Earth's single largest carbon storage container. With such an important role in the carbon storage cycle, it is critically important to understand how land management practices, beyond what is currently included in the CLM-Crops model, affect soil's carbon retention capability.

---

Funding for the study was provided by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. Simulations for the study were made at the National Energy Research Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Credit: <a href="http://www.anl.gov/">Argonne National Laboratory</a>

&nbsp;

Land Management Practices to Become Important as Biofuels Use Grows

Land Management Practices to Become Important as Biofuels Use Grows....

World's Biggest Polluters Make Offerings for Paris Climate Agreement. A global climate agreement being negotiated this week in Bonn is supposed to apply to all countries, from the polluters of large industrialized economies to tiny island nations.
But the major climate polluters are expected to lead the way by setting targets for reducing emissions of climate-warming gases including carbon dioxide, well in advance of the Paris summit where the agreement is supposed to be adopted six months from now.
To date, countries representing about one-third of global emissions have submitted what's known in U.N. lingo as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions. Early analyses by climate researchers and environmental groups show the combined impact falls short of the sharp cuts in emissions that scientists say are required to keep<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=global+warming&amp;cvid=5bd6f44a4a354b3b8e8c4597eb6635ac&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> global warming</a> in check.
Here's a look at what the biggest polluters have offered, each using their own timeframes and accounting methods:
EUROPEAN UNION: Collectively, the 28-nation EU is the world's third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The bloc has pledged to cut its emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. It's already halfway there, having slashed climate pollution by nearly 20 percent since 1990. Renewables like wind, solar and hydropower make up about 15 percent of its energy mix and the EU aims to boost that to 27 percent in 15 years.
UNITED STATES: The biggest climate polluter historically and current No. 2, the U.S. aims to make its 2025 emissions 26-28 percent lower than they were in 2005. That's equivalent to a 14-17 percent reduction below 1990 levels, according to Climate Action Tracker, a research group that analyzes countries' targets. In its submission to the U.N., the U.S. said it plans to achieve its target with a range of measures, including stricter standards on carbon pollution from power plants and motor vehicles and reducing the use of highly potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
MEXICO: Most developing countries aren't expected to cut their emissions in the next decade because they need fossil fuels - a key source of energy and emissions - to grow their economies. But they can slow the increase in emissions by boosting the share of renewables, increasing energy efficiency and other measures. Mexico has pledged for its 2030 emissions to be 25 percent lower than they would have been without any climate actions. It's willing to raise that target to 40 percent with financial and technological support from rich countries.
CHINA: The world's most populous country and top climate polluter is expected to submit its climate target to the U.N. by the end of June. But in a historic joint announcement with the U.S. in November 2014, it gave an indication of what the highlight will be: a pledge to peak its emissions around 2030. Some analysts project China's peak will come sooner. Much will depend on whether the country is able to reduce its dependency on coal for electricity generation. Coal generates the highest emissions of all fossil fuels. World's Biggest Polluters Make Offerings for Paris Climate Agreement
JAPAN: Japan, the world' fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, hasn't officially submitted a target to the U.N. but announced plans to reduce emissions by 26 percent from 2013 to 2030. Critics say that's less ambitious than what the U.S. and EU have offered. According to Climate Action Tracker, it corresponds to an 18 percent reduction below 1990 levels. The government wants to restart nuclear reactors that met upgraded safety standards following the 2011 disaster in Fukushima. Meanwhile, fossil fuels remain the preferred option, with more than 40 coal-fired power plants planned or under construction. Japan's plans call for fossil fuels to account for just over half of total power generation in 2030, with 24 percent from renewable energy and 22 percent from nuclear power.
RUSSIA: Moscow has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 25 to 30 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Russian emissions fell sharply with the collapse of the Soviet economy but have started climbing again. It's unclear how Russia plans to account for the effect on emissions of its vast forestry sector - forests absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Climate Action Tracker estimates that if forests are part of the Russian target, it would mean industrial emissions would only need to decrease by 6 to 11 percent compared to 1990.
CANADA: After withdrawing in 2007 from the Kyoto Protocol, the emissions treaty that the Paris agreement is meant to succeed, Canada has been widely viewed as a laggard in the U.N. climate talks. Ottawa has pledged to cut emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. Observers of the climate talks have dismissed that target as too weak, but also raised questions about whether it can be achieved. There are doubts over whether Canada will meet an earlier, voluntary target to reduce its emissions by 17 percent in 2020, mainly because of growing emissions from tar sands projects.
OTHERS: India, Brazil and Australia are among the largest emitters that haven't yet presented their targets. U.N. officials hope that most countries will have done so by October so that they can be added up and their aggregate effect evaluated before the climate summit in Paris.
---
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World's Biggest Polluters Make Offerings for Paris Climate Agreement

World's Biggest Polluters Make Offerings for Paris Climate Agreement. A...

Exxon's Request to Haul Oil Denied by California Officials. Officials denied a request Tuesday by Exxon Mobil to temporarily use tanker trucks to transport crude oil from offshore wells through Santa Barbara County after a recent pipeline break that has become the state's largest coastal oil spill in 25 years.
The move came on the same day that <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=california&amp;FORM=ANCMS9&amp;PC=HCTS">California</a> lawmakers formed a special legislative committee to investigate the May spill that caused as much as 101,000 gallons of oil to blacken beaches and create an ocean slick.
Santa Barbara County's Planning and Development director rejected Exxon's emergency permit application, saying it didn't meet the requirements for expedited review. Exxon can apply again through the regular permitting process, officials said. Exxon's Request to Haul Oil Denied by California Officials
Exxon normally moves oil from three offshore platforms through more than 10 miles of pipeline owned by Plains All American Pipeline. The movement has been stopped since the pipe ruptured on May 19, fouling beaches.
Environmental groups praised the decision.
"Trucking a million gallons of crude oil a day down winding coastal highways is a recipe for another disaster," said Kristen Monsell, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity.
Exxon Mobile spokesman Richard Keil said the company is disappointed and is reviewing its options.
The Western States Petroleum Association, an oil-industry lobbying group, said in a statement that the decision "reflects an unfortunate lack of understanding of, or sensitivity to, the energy realities California faces" and would force the state to import more oil.
In Sacramento, lawmakers announced the formation of the Select Committee on the Refugio <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/unhealthy-foods-spoil-the-benefits-of-a-mediterranean-diet/">Oil</a> Spill, which will hold hearings to investigate how to avert similar incidents.
Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles Democrat, said the spill was an avoidable tragedy.
The panel headed by Santa Barbara Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson will hold its first hearing later this month in Santa Barbara.
Jackson is also pushing legislation to increase the number of pipeline inspections and allow more boats to respond to future spills.
---
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Exxon's Request to Haul Oil Denied by California Officials

Exxon's Request to Haul Oil Denied by California Officials. Officials...

Jet Fuel Derived from Sugarcane Shrinks Airplane Emissions. Airplanes release a significant amount of CO2 with each takeoff and touchdown, and the EPA recently announced plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by the airline industry.

But researchers at the University of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=california&amp;cvid=9d773487d66c4d2ba7224986bb99cf87&amp;pglt=43&amp;FORM=ANNTA1&amp;PC=HCTS">California</a> at Berkeley have a solution: a sugarcane-derived jet fuel they say reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent.
<div></div>
Over the last quarter century, scientists have developed a variety of alternative fuels, sourced from all sorts of natural gases and biomasses. These fuels now power cars, trucks, buses and more. But <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/the-science-of-aging/">scientists</a> have yet to offer a viable alternative to the jet fuel that powers planes.

The demands of an airplane engine are many. Planes require fuel that is oxygen-free and stable at very low temperatures. Proper jet fuel must also possess the right boiling point and an ideal degree of lubricity so as not to erode the turbines over time.

A team of scientists led by Alexis Bell claim their new fuel meets all those qualifications -- and it's better for the environment. Jet Fuel Derived from Sugarcane Shrinks Airplane Emissions

"All of the carbon and any hydrogen required for the fuel are derived from biomass, rather than fossil fuels," Bell told Quartz.

Instead of using enzymes to break down and turn sugarcane biomass into fuel, Bell and his colleagues employ a substitute catalyst -- substances that elicit a desired chemical reaction but which don't actually participate.

After fermentation has broken the sugarcane down into carbon atoms like acetone, butanol and ethanol, the catalysts work to string together longer carbon atom chains called methyl ketones that can be used as the building blocks for effective fuel.

The work of Bell and his research partners, which has been funded by BP, was recently detailed <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/06/03/1508274112.abstract?sid=c63ba7c4-9764-447e-becc-1cf093d3e978" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal PNAS</a>.

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<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Jet Fuel Derived from Sugarcane Shrinks Airplane Emissions

Jet Fuel Derived from Sugarcane Shrinks Airplane Emissions. Airplanes release...

Paris Climate Agreement: What Countries Have Offered. Ethiopia on Wednesday became the latest country to present a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions for a global climate pact that's supposed to be adopted in Paris later this year.
Ethiopia's emissions are just a tiny fraction of the world total, but the African country said that with support from developed nations it would bring them down slightly by 2030.
The submission, which came during climate talks in Bonn, means that U.N. now has targets covering 39 countries well in advance of the Paris summit.
However, early analyses by climate researchers and environmental groups show the combined impact falls short of the sharp cuts in emissions that scientists say are required to keep global warming in check.
Here's a look at what the biggest polluters have offered, each using their own timeframes and accounting methods:
EUROPEAN UNION: Collectively, the 28-nation EU is the world's third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The bloc has pledged to cut its emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. It's already halfway there, having slashed climate pollution by nearly 20 percent since 1990. Renewables like wind, solar and hydropower make up about 15 percent of its energy mix and the EU aims to boost that to 27 percent in 15 years.
UNITED STATES: The biggest climate polluter historically and current No. 2, the U.S. aims to make its 2025 emissions 26-28 percent lower than they were in 2005. That's equivalent to a 14-17 percent reduction below 1990 levels, according to Climate Action Tracker, a research group that analyzes countries' targets. In its submission to the U.N., the U.S. said it plans to achieve its target with a range of measures, including stricter standards on carbon pollution from power plants and motor vehicles and reducing the use of highly potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning.
MEXICO: Most developing countries aren't expected to cut their emissions in the next decade because they need fossil fuels - a key source of energy and emissions - to grow their economies. But they can slow the increase in emissions by boosting the share of renewables, increasing energy efficiency and other measures. Mexico has pledged for its 2030 emissions to be 25 percent lower than they would have been without any climate actions. It's willing to raise that target to 40 percent with financial and technological support from rich countries.
CHINA: The world's most populous country and top climate polluter is expected to submit its climate target to the U.N. by the end of June. But in a historic joint announcement with the U.S. in November 2014, it gave an indication of what the highlight will be: a pledge to peak its emissions around 2030. Some analysts project China's peak will come sooner. Much will depend on whether the country is able to reduce its dependency on coal for electricity generation. Coal generates the highest emissions of all fossil fuels.
JAPAN: Japan, the world' fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, hasn't officially submitted a target to the U.N. but announced plans to reduce emissions by 26 percent from 2013 to 2030. Critics say that's less ambitious than what the U.S. and EU have offered. According to Climate Action Tracker, it corresponds to an 18 percent reduction below 1990 levels. The government wants to restart nuclear reactors that met upgraded safety standards following the 2011 disaster in Fukushima. Meanwhile, fossil fuels remain the preferred option, with more than 40 coal-fired power plants planned or under construction. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=japan&amp;cvid=7505d84402054d10a08425699cb2fc62&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Japan's</a> plans call for fossil fuels to account for just over half of total power generation in 2030, with 24 percent from renewable energy and 22 percent from nuclear power.
RUSSIA: Moscow has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 25 to 30 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Russian emissions fell sharply with the collapse of the Soviet economy but have started climbing again. It's unclear how Russia plans to account for the effect on emissions of its vast forestry sector - forests absorb carbon from the atmosphere. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mangrove-forests-in-oman-were-wiped-out-by-climate-change/">Climate</a> Action Tracker estimates that if forests are part of the Russian target, it would mean industrial emissions would only need to decrease by 6 to 11 percent compared to 1990. Paris Climate Agreement: What Countries Have Offered
CANADA: After withdrawing in 2011 from the Kyoto Protocol, the emissions treaty that the Paris agreement is meant to succeed, Canada has been widely viewed as a laggard in the U.N. climate talks. Ottawa has pledged to cut emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. Observers of the climate talks have dismissed that target as too weak, but also raised questions about whether it can be achieved. There are doubts over whether Canada will meet an earlier, voluntary target to reduce its emissions by 17 percent in 2020, mainly because of growing emissions from tar sands projects.
OTHERS: India, Brazil and Australia are among the largest emitters that haven't yet presented their targets. U.N. officials hope that most countries will have done so by October so that they can be added up and their aggregate effect evaluated before the climate summit in Paris.
---
This story has been corrected to show that Canada left the Kyoto Protocol in 2011, not 2007.
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Paris Climate Agreement: What Countries Have Offered

Paris Climate Agreement: What Countries Have Offered. Ethiopia on Wednesday...

Long History Of Popes Voicing Environmental Concerns. Anxiety has so gripped American conservatives over Pope Francis' upcoming encyclical on the environmental concerns that you might think a pope had never before blamed fossil fuels for global warming. Or accused energy companies of hoarding the Earth's resources at the expense of the poor. Or urged the rich to consume less and share more.
But several of Francis' immediate predecessors have done just that, inspired by the Bible itself - raising the question of what all the fuss is about. Why would U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, a devout Catholic who says he loves the pope, urge Francis to "leave science to the scientists" and stop talking about global warming? And why would conservative Catholic commentators attack the Vatican for hosting the U.N. secretary-general at a climate conference?
It turns out that environmental issues are particularly vexing for the Catholic Church, especially in the United States. They carry implications for Big Business and their Catholics supporters, as well as for the world's growing population, which brings up questions of<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=birth+control&amp;cvid=dd3d4d6f68714756ad779da0aacda5f4&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> birth control.</a> For the religious right, the Vatican's endorsement of the U.N. agenda on global warming amounts to an endorsement of the U.N. agenda to give women access to contraception and abortion.
How Francis deals with population growth as it affects the environment is one of the key questions that will be answered when the encyclical, entitled "Laudato si (Be Praised), On the Care of our Common Home," is released June 18.
Despite such divisive issues, popes in recent decades have not shied from framing ecological concerns in moral terms, given that in the Bible itself God places mankind in the Garden of Eden with the explicit instructions to not only "till" the ground but to also "keep it."
Recent popes have made clear that human activity is largely to blame for the environmental degradation that is threatening the Earth's ecosystems. They have demanded urgent action by industrialized nations to change their ways and undergo an "ecological conversion" to prevent the poor from paying for the sins of the rich.
Some have even made their points in encyclicals, the most authoritative teaching document a pope can issue.
Take one of St. John Paul II's annual messages for the World Day of Peace:
"The gradual depletion of the ozone layer and the related greenhouse effect has now reached crisis proportions as a consequence of industrial growth, massive urban concentrations and vastly increased energy needs," John Paul wrote. "Industrial waste, the burning of fossil fuels, unrestricted deforestation, the use of certain types of herbicides, coolants and propellant: all of these are known to harm the atmosphere and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sea-stars-may-be-drowning-in-their-environment/">environment</a>. The resulting meteorological and atmospheric changes range from damage to health to the possible future submersion of low-lying lands."
The year was 1990, a quarter century ago.
Before him there was Pope Paul VI. In his 1967 encyclical, "Populorum Progressio" (Development of Peoples), Paul wrote that while creation is for man to use, the goods of the Earth are meant to be shared by all, not just the rich. Long History Of Popes Voicing Environmental Concerns
"No one may appropriate surplus goods solely for his own private use when others lack the bare necessities of life," Paul wrote nearly a half-century ago.
And then there was Pope Benedict XVI, dubbed the "green pope" because he took concrete action to back up his strong ecological calls: Under his watch, the Vatican installed photovoltaic cells on the roof of its main auditorium, a solar cooling unit for its main cafeteria and joined a reforestation project aimed at offsetting its CO2 emissions.
"The fact that some states, power groups and energy companies hoard non-renewable energy resources represents a grave obstacle to development in poor countries," Benedict wrote in his 2009 encyclical "Charity in Truth." "The international community has an urgent duty to find institutional means of regulating the exploitation of non-renewable resources, involving poor countries in the process, in order to plan together for the future."
In that encyclical, the German theologian addressed the population issue by denouncing mandatory birth control policies and noting that even populous countries have emerged from poverty thanks to the talents of their people, not their numbers. At the same time, though, he stressed "responsible procreation" - a theme Francis is likely to take up himself given that he has already said Catholics need not reproduce "like rabbits."
So what is so new about Francis' encyclical?
First, no pope has dedicated an entire encyclical to ecological concerns. And no pope has cited the findings of the U.N. International Panel on Climate Change in a major document, as Francis is expected to do. Francis, history's first Latin American pope, will also be bringing the point of view of the "Global South" to a social teaching document of the church, which is in itself new.
But on the whole, the church's environmental message has been articulated for years, though it has gotten lost in other issues.
"To be honest, we have been talking about this but not with enough emphasis," said the Rev. Agostino Zampini Davies, the Argentine theological adviser to CAFOD, the development agency of the Catholic Church of England and Wales.
Zampini Davies recently made a power-point presentation to the church's global Caritas aid agencies outlining what each pope and bishops' conference has said about the environment for the past half-century, a remarkable compilation that could have saved Francis' ghost-writers time and effort in drafting the encyclical.
Zampini noted that the 2004 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, a massive undertaking by the Vatican to pull all the church's social teachings in one book, gave scant attention to the environment - "a missed opportunity" Zampini Davies said that Francis is now correcting with an even more authoritative document.
Amid the alarm that Francis will go far beyond what past popes have said, U.S. Cardinal Donald Wuerl recently addressed a conference of business and church leaders on how sustainable actions can drive the economic growth needed to lift people out of poverty
"The teaching of Pope Francis and his efforts to address the environment are in harmony with those of his predecessors," he insisted.
---
Follow Nicole Winfield at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield</a>
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Long History Of Popes Voicing Environmental Concerns

Long History Of Popes Voicing Environmental Concerns. Anxiety has so...

Next Up For EPA: Regulating Aircraft Emissions. The Obama administration proposed Wednesday to regulate aircraft emissions in much the same way as power plants, saying they are a threat to human health because they contain pollutants that help cause global warming.
Using its authority under The Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency's preliminary finding of endangerment to human health clears the way for possible U.S. adoption of international emissions standards.
The International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, a U.N. agency, has been working for five years on developing global aircraft emissions standards for the first time. Final agreement on those standards is expected in February of next year.
But a final U.S. decision on adoption of international standards is likely to be left to the next presidential administration. EPA officials said the earliest the agency is likely to propose adoption of ICAO standards would be in 2017.
U.S. regulations would also apply only to engines used in large planes like airliners and cargo jets, turboprop planes and some business jets, and not to smaller jet aircraft, piston-engine planes, helicopters or military aircraft.
While ICAO negotiations on the standards are still underway, the standards ultimately aren't expected to go into effect until 2020 or afterward, and possibly as late as 2025, say environmentalists following the matter.
The international standards are also not expected to apply to airliners in service today or those that might be purchased before the effective date, said Vera Pardee, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. The center is one of several environmental groups that sued the EPA to force the agency to issue its finding that emissions endanger public health.
Airlines typically fly planes for 20 years or more before replacing them. That means it's likely to be decades before planes that meet the anticipated global standards are in widespread use.
Airline emissions account for about 2 percent of total annual global greenhouse gas emissions. That sounds small, but it's nearly as much as the emissions produced by Germany, the sixth-greatest greenhouse gas producing country, according to a study released last year by The International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental group with offices in the U.S. and Germany.
Aircraft manufacturers have already made significant strides in increasing fuel efficiency. Since the early years of the jet age in the 1960s, the fuel efficiency of airliners has increased 70 percent, according to Boeing. There's plenty of incentive to be as efficient as possible: Fuel typically vies with labor as airlines' greatest expense.
The U.S. airline industry has a set a target of an average annual improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.5 percent, and so far has been successful in meeting that goal, said Nancy Young, vice president for environmental affairs at Airlines for America, trade association for major carriers.
Alaska, Frontier and Spirit airlines were tied for most fuel-efficient U.S. airlines, the study found. The least fuel efficient was American, which operates a fleet of MD-80 airliners, an older design that is being phased out.
Changes in the operating strategies of airlines in recent years have also contributed to greater efficiency. Airlines are packing more people into fewer flights.
However, global aviation emissions are rising because there is more air travel overall. U.S. airlines, which include several of the world's largest carriers, account for about 29 percent of global airline carbon emissions if both domestic and international flights are included. That's more than any other nation.
The world's two largest aircraft makers have recently introduced into service more fuel-efficient planes designed for long-distance international routes - the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350.
Airlines, aircraft makers and the Federal Aviation Administration have also been working with biofuels companies to develop alternatives to jet fuel that could potentially reduce the aviation's industry's vulnerability to the ups and downs of oil supplies and prices, as well as reduce carbon emissions.
"We're not dragging our feet," said Tim Neale, a spokesman for Boeing. "We're hard at work on lighter airplanes, and GE is hard at work on more efficient engines. And we're working a lot of these operational issues with the carriers so they operate the planes more efficiently."
Boeing and airline industry officials say they support ICAO's effort to develop a single global standard, since airlines fly globally. But Pardee said environmentalists hope that if the ICAO standard turns out to be weak, the EPA will move forward with stronger standards for U.S. airlines.
"The U.S. is clearly the worst carbon polluter in the sky and it has every duty and responsibility to lead," she said.
---
Follow Joan Lowy on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/AP-Joan-Lowy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://twitter.com/AP-Joan-Lowy</a>
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Next Up For EPA: Regulating Aircraft Emissions

Next Up For EPA: Regulating Aircraft Emissions. The Obama administration...

UN Climate Talks End Without Accomplishing Much. Two weeks of U.N. climate talks ended Thursday with negotiators trimming a draft global climate pact but leaving core sticking points to be untangled later, before a December summit in Paris where the landmark agreement is to be adopted.
Frustrated by the slow pace of the climate talks, some negotiators and observers called the Bonn meeting a squandered opportunity to capture the momentum of a declaration this week by seven world leaders including President Barack <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coal-plants-closed-trump/">Obama</a> endorsing a long-term goal of decarbonizing the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=global&amp;cvid=58ecb39d73f84cca8d31bf126f16cf5f&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">global </a>economy - moving away from a dependence on fossil fuels. UN Climate Talks End Without Accomplishing Much
"We must go faster," said European Union delegate Ilze Pruse.
Earlier, officials leading the Bonn talks called for patience, with co-chair Ahmed Djoghlaf telling reporters no one can craft a universal agreement with more than 190 countries overnight.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together," he said.
He noted that some delegates worked so hard in Bonn they missed Saturday's Champions League soccer final in Berlin.
French climate envoy Laurence Tubiana likened the pain-staking U.N. process to giving birth, saying it's difficult to judge the outcome until everything is done.
"You have to wait until the baby is born to see its face," she said.
The Paris deal, which is supposed to take effect in 2020, would be the first where both rich and poor countries pledge to limit their emissions of greenhouse gases that scientists say are raising global temperatures, resulting in more intense heat waves, rising sea levels and other climate impacts.
A previous agreement, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, only required rich countries to take action.
In Bonn, negotiators reorganized sections as they shortened a 90-page text to 85 pages. The co-chairs were asked to streamline the text further by August.
The draft still contains multiple options on contentious issues, including how to differentiate between the obligations of rich and poor countries to fight climate change and what commitments of financial support to fight climate change poor nations want from the rich.
It remains unclear whether the pact will be legally binding.
Also undecided is whether the first round of emissions targets should cover the 2020-2025 period or 2020-2030. Most targets submitted so far are for the latter, while the United States insists on the former.
"The modest progress made in Bonn did not match the significant action taking place around the world," said Jennifer Morgan of the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental group.
Norway, meanwhile, recently announced its $900 billion oil fund would divest from coal - the most polluting fuel - and Pope Francis is expected to release his high-level teaching document on ecology and climate change next week.
----
Karl Ritter can be reached on Twitter at twitter.com/karl-ritter
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UN Climate Talks End Without Accomplishing Much

UN Climate Talks End Without Accomplishing Much. Two weeks of...

The Greener a State's Legislator, The Cleaner The Air. States where the congressional delegation votes greener tend to have air that's cleaner, spewing less heat-trapping gas, a new study finds.
Researchers at <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-could-help-asian-carp-invade-lake-michigan/">Michigan</a> State University studied decades of voting trends and greenhouse gas emissions state by state. They found a correlation between the voting records of a congressional delegation and carbon dioxide emissions, although one that's nowhere near as big as population or a state's economic health, according to a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study authors Thomas Dietz and Kenneth Frank used computer simulations to try to explain differences in state's carbon dioxide emissions. After taking into account the larger factors of population, employment and affluence, they charted carbon pollution against "environmentalism" and found a fairly smooth line linking the two subjects. As a state's environmentalism grew, greenhouse gases dropped.
The authors defined environmentalism as the ratings given a congressional delegation by the pro-environment advocacy group League of Conservation Voters - a definition that some outside experts didn't think is quite proper.
"For each 1 percent higher a state scored in environmentalism, it's about half a percent lower in greenhouse gas emissions," Dietz said. "Overall, environmentalism matters."
As an example, after controlling for population, affluence and economic factors, Utah has higher carbon dioxide emissions than Vermont, but the difference correlates with the congressional delegation voting record, said Frank. Similarly, Texas and Alabama have higher carbon pollution per person and per state domestic product than New York and California.
Frank acknowledged the study doesn't show a direct connection between voting records and emissions, but he said it makes logical sense that there would be such a connection. A state that votes greener is more likely to have business and government agencies that act accordingly, and to be more careful about how it burns fossil fuels, he said. The Greener a State's Legislator, The Cleaner The Air
Dana Fisher at the University of Maryland who wasn't part of the study said the link between congressional voting record and carbon dioxide emissions in states "makes a lot of sense. It basically means that these pro-environmental elected officials are supporting state-level policies that are less greenhouse gas intensive."
However, she said in an e-mail that how congressmen and women vote is not necessarily an accurate measure of environmentalism.
Philip Stark, chairman of statistics at the University of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=california&amp;cvid=7f05b1f594fd4bb4a75650302ac87787&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">California</a> Berkeley, was troubled by some of the calculations, the use of the League of Conservation Voters rating system and logical leaps made in the study.
For Andrew Weaver, a climate scientist at the University of Victoria elected to the British Columbia parliament, the study hit home. He said, "clearly this study does suggest that it does matter who you elect."
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The Greener a State's Legislator, The Cleaner The Air

The Greener a State's Legislator, The Cleaner The Air. States...

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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



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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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;



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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.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" 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 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;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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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;



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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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" 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 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;



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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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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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 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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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[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...