You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach.



But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet?



This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse.



Scientists have been studying this phenomenon, and according to recent research published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>, it's a bigger deal than we thought. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-circulation-and-the-amoc">Ocean circulation and the AMOC?</h2>



The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is like a massive ocean conveyor belt that moves warm and cold water around the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-atlantic-ocean-may-ultimately-vanish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atlantic Ocean</a>. 



It starts in the Gulf of Mexico, where warm, salty water flows northward along the eastern coast of the United States and across the Atlantic towards Europe. 



As this warm water reaches the North Atlantic, it cools down, becomes denser, and sinks deep into the ocean. 



This sinking process pulls more warm water north to replace it, creating a continuous loop that helps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-major-ocean-system-would-cause-weather-chaos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regulate the climate</a> by distributing heat across the planet. 



Thanks to the AMOC, regions like Western Europe enjoy milder winters than they would otherwise.



Humans rely on the AMOC in several important ways. By regulating global temperatures, it helps maintain stable weather patterns, which are crucial for agriculture, ecosystems, and our daily lives. 



Researchers point out that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is now weaker than at any other time in the past 1,000 years.



The research team from several leading universities explains that global warming is behind this slowdown. 



Their new modeling suggests that meltwater from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenlands-melting-icebergs-may-not-be-threat-to-ocean-currents-amoc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland ice sheet</a> and Canadian glaciers could be the missing piece of the puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-should-we-care-about-this">Why should we care about this?</h2>



"Our results show the Atlantic overturning circulation is likely to become a third weaker than it was 70 years ago at 2°C of global warming," says the research team. 



"This would bring big changes to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-arctic-is-melting-fast-but-a-slowing-ocean-current-could-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate and ecosystems</a>, including faster warming in the southern hemisphere, harsher winters in Europe, and weakening of the northern hemisphere's tropical monsoons."



Think about that for a second. A weaker ocean current could mean colder winters in Europe and shifts in rainfall patterns that affect millions of people. It's not just about the ocean; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it's about our daily lives</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-and-ocean-circulation">Meltwater and ocean circulation</h2>



The Earth has already warmed 1.5ºC since the industrial revolution. And get this: the Arctic has been heating up nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. 



All that heat is melting Arctic sea ice, glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet.



"Since 2002, Greenland lost 5,900 billion tons (gigatons) of ice," notes the research team. "To put that into perspective, imagine if the entire state of Texas was covered in ice 26 feet thick."



All this fresh meltwater flowing into the subarctic ocean is lighter than salty seawater, so it doesn't sink as much. 



That messes with the southward flow of deep, cold waters from the Atlantic and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-impact-the-gulf-stream-more-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weakens the Gulf Stream</a> -- the same current that gives Britain its mild winters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-around-the-globe">Ripple effects around the globe</h2>



So, what's the big deal with the Gulf Stream slowing down? Well, for starters, Europe could face harsher winters. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-paradox-ocean-current-collapse-could-plunge-europe-into-cold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Places like Britain</a> might start feeling more like their chilly counterparts at the same latitude, such as parts of Canada.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1s.webp" alt="The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024)." class="wp-image-1951410" style="width:300px;height:auto"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024).</figcaption></figure>



"Our new research shows meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic glaciers in Canada is the missing piece in the climate puzzle," the researchers explain. 



When they included this meltwater in their simulations, the slowing of the oceanic circulation made sense.



The study confirms that the Atlantic overturning circulation has been slowing down since the mid-20th century. It also gives us a sneak peek into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atlantic-and-arctic-mixing-is-crucial-for-earths-climate-stability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">what's coming next</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northern-and-southern-oceans-connected">Northern and Southern oceans connected</h2>



"Our new research also shows the North and South Atlantic oceans are more connected than previously thought," the team states. 



Changes in one part of the ocean can quickly affect distant regions. When the oceanic circulation is strong, it transfers a lot of heat to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-warming-triggers-rising-north-atlantic-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Atlantic</a>. 



But when it weakens, the surface of the ocean south of Greenland doesn't warm up as much, leading to what's called a "warming hole." Meanwhile, the South Atlantic ends up storing more heat and salt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-is-not-on-our-side">Time is not on our side</h2>



"Our simulations show changes in the far North Atlantic are felt in the South Atlantic Ocean in less than two decades," the researchers reveal. This means the effects of the slowdown are spreading faster than we thought.



Climate projections have suggested the Atlantic overturning circulation will weaken by about 30% by 2060. But hold on -- that's without considering all that extra meltwater.



"The Greenland ice sheet will continue melting over the coming century, possibly raising global sea level by about 4 inches," the study notes. 



"If this additional meltwater is included in climate projections, the overturning circulation will weaken faster. It could be 30% weaker by 2040. That's 20 years earlier than initially projected."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do">What can we do?</h2>



Such a rapid decrease in the overturning circulation will shake things up. 



Europe might see colder winters, the northern tropics could get drier, and places like the southern United States might experience warmer, wetter summers.



"Our climate has changed dramatically over the past 20 years," the researchers warn. "More rapid melting of the ice sheets will accelerate further disruption of the climate system."



So, what does this all mean for us? It means we have even less time to get our act together. Reducing emissions isn't just a good idea -- it's crucial.



Our planet's systems are interconnected in ways we're only beginning to understand. If we want to keep things from getting worse, we need to act now. Every little bit counts, and the clock is ticking.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Collapse of Earth's main ocean water circulation system is already happening

You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach. But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet? This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse. Scientists have...

In a reinforcing feedback loop, the loss of huge masses of sea ice accelerates global warming, which causes sea ice to retreat even further. Experts at the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> have taken a closer look at this vicious cycle, and what it could ultimately mean for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-lizards-are-surprisingly-adaptable-to-climate-extremes/">climate</a> change in the long term under a range of scenarios. 

In one scenario, which could very possibly happen in reality, Arctic summer sea ice will  completely vanish by the end of this century as a result of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the study, this would add approximately 0.2 degrees Celsius to global warming. 

While IPCC projections of future warming already account for these mechanisms, scientists can now distinguish the warming impacts of sea ice loss from other effects.

Considering that the global mean temperature is currently just about one degree higher than it was in pre-industrial times, an increase of 0.2 degrees Celsius from this single source is substantial.

"If global ice masses shrink, this changes how much of the sunlight that hits Earth's surface is reflected back into space. Decreasing ice cover in the Arctic exposes more of the darker ocean water that absorbs more energy," said study lead author Nico Wunderling. "This is referred to as albedo feedback. It's like wearing white or black clothes in summer. If you wear dark, you heat up more easily." 

The heat-trapping effect will also be accelerated by an increase in atmospheric water vapor from the melting ice. Increasing water vapor leads to warmer temperatures, and since warmer air can hold greater amounts of water vapor, more of it will be absorbed. While these mechanisms are well-known, the Potsdam study is unique in that it quantifies the overall amount of warming that could be triggered by global sea ice loss.

"This is not a short-term risk. Earth's ice masses are huge, which makes them very important for our Earth system as a whole - it also means that their response to anthropogenic climate change, especially that of the ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica, unfolds on longer timescales," said study co-author Ricarda Winkelmann. "But even if some of the changes might take hundreds or thousands of years to manifest, it's possible we trigger them within just a couple of decades."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Melting sea ice accelerates global warming in a vicious cycle

In a reinforcing feedback loop, the loss of huge masses...

In 2018, a fireball meteor that appeared in the sky over the Midwest landed on a frozen <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-lakes-cause-glaciers-to-retreat-much-more-rapidly/">lake</a> in Michigan and was quickly recovered. The meteorite is not only providing scientists with a look at what space rocks are like when they are still in outer space, but also contains pristine extraterrestrial organic compounds that could hold secrets about the origins of life.

Study lead author Philipp Heck is a curator at the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> and a professor in the  Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago.

"This meteorite is special because it fell onto a frozen lake and was recovered quickly. It was very pristine. We could see the minerals weren't much altered and later found that it contained a rich inventory of extraterrestrial organic compounds," said Professor Heck.

"These kinds of organic compounds were likely delivered to the early Earth by meteorites and might have contributed to the ingredients of life."

Scientists used NASA's weather radar to locate the pieces of the meteorite that fell onto the lake. The experts were able to collect the rocks before their chemical makeup was altered by exposure to liquid water. 

"Weather radar is meant to detect hail and rain," said Professor Heck. "These pieces of meteorite fell into that size range, and so weather radar helped show the position and velocity of the meteorite. That meant that we were able to find it very quickly."

Less than two days after the landing, meteorite hunter Robert Ward found the first piece of the space rock on the frozen surface of Strawberry Lake. The meteorite was then donated to the Field Museum, where Professor Heck and graduate student Jennika Greer were waiting.

"When the meteorite arrived at the Field, I spent the entire weekend analyzing it, because I was so excited to find out what kind of meteorite it was and what was in it," said Greer. "With every meteorite that falls, there's a chance that there's something completely new and totally unexpected."

The team quickly determined that the meteorite was an H4 chondrite, which only makes up four percent of all meteorites that fall to Earth. The most exceptional thing about this meteorite, however, is how quickly it was collected for analysis. 

"This meteorite shows a high diversity of organics, in that if somebody was interested in studying organics, this is not normally the type of meteorite that they would ask to look at," said Greer. "But because there was so much excitement surrounding it, everybody wanted to apply their own technique to it, so we have an unusually comprehensive set of data for a single meteorite."

It is believed that the organic compounds which gave rise to life on Earth may have hitched a ride to our planet on meteorites.

"Scientists who study meteorites and space sometimes get asked, do you ever see signs of life? And I always answer, yes, every meteorite is full of life, but terrestrial, Earth life," said Professor Heck. "As soon as the thing lands, it gets covered with microbes and life from Earth. We have meteorites with lichens growing on them. So the fact that this meteorite was collected so quickly after it fell, and that it landed on ice rather than in the dirt, helped keep it cleaner."

"This study is a demonstration of how we can work with specialists around the world to get most out of the small piece of raw, precious piece of rock. When a new meteorite falls onto a frozen lake, maybe even sometime this winter, we'll be ready. And that next fall might be something we have never seen before."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19455100">Meteoritics &amp; Planetary Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fireball meteor that fell to Earth contains extraterrestrial organic compounds

In 2018, a fireball meteor that appeared in the sky...

In a new article, Professor Shelie Miller of the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> has set out to debunk five common myths about the environmental impacts of single-use plastics. One the most common misperceptions is that the packaging itself is the main problem, but it is actually the product that is inside.

When it comes to single-use plastics, the production and disposal of packaging often represents only a few percent of a product's lifetime environmental impacts, according to Professor Miller.

"Consumers tend to focus on the impact of the packaging, rather than the impact of the product itself. But mindful consumption that reduces the need for products and eliminates wastefulness is far more effective at reducing overall environmental impact than recycling."

"Nevertheless, it is fundamentally easier for consumers to recycle the packaging of a product than to voluntarily reduce their demand for that product, which is likely one reason why recycling efforts are so popular."

Professor Miller is addressing five common myths about single-use plastics. These misperceptions, along with Professor Miller's insights, include:

Plastic packaging is the largest contributor to a product's environmental impact. In reality, the product inside the package usually has a much greater environmental impact.

The environmental impacts of plastics are greater than any other packaging material. Actually, plastic generally has lower overall environmental impacts than single-use glass or metal in most impact categories.

Reusable products are always better than single-use plastics. Actually, reusable products have lower environmental impacts only when they are reused enough times to offset the materials and energy used to make them.

Recycling and composting should be the highest priority. Truth be told, the environmental benefits associated with recycling and composting tend to be small when compared with efforts to reduce overall consumption.

"Zero waste" efforts that eliminate single-use plastics minimize the environmental impacts of an event. In reality, the benefits of diverting waste from the landfill are small. Waste reduction and mindful consumption, including a careful consideration of the types and quantities of products consumed, are far larger factors dictating the environmental impact of an event.

Professor Miller challenges beliefs that are not supported by scientific evidence while urging other environmental scientists and engineers to broaden the conversation.

"Efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastics and to increase recycling may distract from less visible and often more damaging environmental impacts associated with energy use, manufacturing and resource extraction. We need to take a much more holistic view that considers larger environmental issues."

Professor Miller says that in order to place the plastic-waste problem in proper context, it is critical to examine the environmental impacts that occur at every stage of a product's lifetime. At the same time, she emphasizes that she is not trying to downplay environmental concerns associated with plastics and plastic waste.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that researchers can use to estimate lifetime environmental impacts in multiple categories, such as climate change and energy use, biodiversity loss, and water and resource depletion.

It is easy for consumers to focus on packaging waste because they see it every day yet other environmental impacts are largely invisible to them, but LCA measures impacts that may otherwise be overlooked, explains Professor Miller.

"Although the use of single-use plastics has created a number of environmental problems that need to be addressed, there are also numerous upstream consequences of a consumer-oriented society that will not be eliminated, even if plastic waste is drastically reduced."

"The resource extraction, manufacturing and use phases generally dominate the environmental impacts of most products. So, reduction in materials consumption is always preferable to recycling, since the need for additional production is eliminated."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The biggest environmental impacts of single-use plastics are largely overlooked

In a new article, Professor Shelie Miller of the University...

In March, researchers reported in the journal Nature Climate Change that half of the world's beaches could vanish by the end of this century. But now, an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> has published a counter-argument in the same journal, explaining that there is potential for beaches to migrate landwards as sea level rises and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/living-shorelines-protection-storms/">shorelines</a> retreat.

After re-examining the data, the experts say they strongly disagree with the initial conclusion that many beaches will simply disappear under the threat of sea level rise and erosion. The researchers argue that if beaches have space to move, or "accommodation space," they will retain their overall shape and form but in a more landward position as sea levels rise.

The study authors acknowledge that beaches backed by coastal cliffs and structures such as seawalls are, in fact, likely to disappear due to future sea-level rise because they are unable to migrate landward. First, they will experience a "coastal squeeze" and lose much of their width, and will eventually drown.

On the other hand, beaches that are backed by low-lying coastal plains, sand dunes, or shallow lagoons will migrate landward as the sea level rises. The shoreline will retreat, and the beaches may be a bit raised in elevation, but they will not vanish. 

The researchers point out that there is currently no information available globally on the number of beaches that fall into either category, which makes it impossible to quantify what proportion of the world's beaches will disappear between now and 2100.

"New methods are needed for predicting impacts of sea-level rise on the coast. This will require better datasets of coastal morphology and improved understanding of the mechanisms of shoreline response in given settings," said study lead author Professor Andrew Cooper.

"As sea level rises, shoreline retreat must, and will, happen but beaches will survive. The biggest threat to the continued existence of beaches is coastal defence structures that limit their ability to migrate."

Earlier this year, study co-author Professor Gerd Masselink led a research group which found that island "drowning" is not inevitable as sea levels rise.

"Sea level is currently rising and will continue to rise at an increasing rate for many years to come. This will lead to more coastal erosion and it is crucial that we anticipate the future loss of land and take this into account in coastal management and planning to avoid putting more buildings and coastal infrastructure in harm's way," said Professor Masselink.

"In the UK, Coastal Change Management Areas (CCMAs) are becoming increasingly important as a planning tool. CCMAs are areas that are likely to be affected by coastal change in the future and development in these areas should be avoided. This will then enable the coastline to respond naturally to sea-level rise, preventing coastal squeeze and loss of beaches."

Beaches that have coastal structures such as seawalls will be prevented from naturally adjusting to rising sea levels and migrating landward. To safeguard the future of these beaches, removal of the structures or nature-based solutions may be the only solutions.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Beaches with space to migrate will survive rising sea levels

In March, researchers reported in the journal Nature Climate Change...

A study led by the <a href="https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/">University of Konstanz</a> has confirmed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/shellfish-are-vanishing-from-the-gulf-of-maine/">fish</a> save energy by swimming in schools. The researchers used robots to provide the first conclusive evidence that schools of fish benefit from the energy produced by neighboring fish.

The team conducted experiments with biomimetic fish-like robots and found that schooling fish take advantage of swirling water generated in front of them using a simple strategy. They adjust their tail beat patterns to match the rhythms of their leaders, which is known as vortex phase matching. 

When the researchers applied this strategy to the robots, they discovered that the robots benefitted from the force of the churning water kicked up by a neighbor no matter where they were positioned around the fish. 

"Fish schools are highly dynamic, social systems," said study senior author Iain Couzin. "Our results provide an explanation for how fish can profit from the vortices generated by near neighbors without having to keep fixed distances from each other."

It has been a challenge for scientists to determine whether schooling fish save energy because it is difficult to measure the energy expenditure of free swimming fish. The new study has overcome this challenge by using robots. The researchers could directly compare the power consumption of the robots when they were swimming alone or in a group.

"We developed a biomimetic robot to solve the fundamental problem of finding out how much energy is used in swimming," said study first author Liang Li. "If we then have multiple robots interacting, we gain an efficient way to ask how different strategies of swimming together impact the costs of locomotion."

In more than 10,000 trials, the team tested follower fish in every possible position relative to leaders, and then compared this amount of energy consumption with solo swimming. The study clearly showed that the fish in front influence the hydrodynamics of fish behind, saving them energy. 

The energy consumed by a follower fish was found to be influenced by two main factors: the distance between the follower and the leader and the relative timing of the tail beats of the follower with respect to that of the leader.

According to the researchers, the secret to saving energy is in synchronization, or how well the follower fish matches their tail beat pattern to that of the leader.

"It's not just about saving energy. By changing the way they synchronize, followers can also use the vortices shed by other fish to generate thrust and help them accelerate," said study co-author Mate Nagy.

To confirm that fish use the strategy of vortex phase matching to save energy in nature, the experts used an AI-assisted analysis of the body posture of goldfish as they swam together. The model predicted what real fish would do if they were vortex phase matching.

"We discovered a simple rule for synchronizing with neighbors that allows followers to continuously exploit socially-generated vortices," said Couzin. "But before our robotic experiments, we simply didn't know what to look for, and so this rule has been hidden in plain sight."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fish swim in schools to save energy

A study led by the University of Konstanz has confirmed...

Vampire bats socially distance themselves when they are sick, according to a study published by <a href="https://global.oup.com/">Oxford University Press</a>. The researchers found that vampire bats spend less time near others if they do not feel well, which slows <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/how-the-gut-microbiome-protects-us-from-disease/">disease</a> transmission. 

While the research team had previously observed this behavior in the lab, a field experiment has now confirmed that sick vampire bats self-isolate in the wild.

Social behavior can control how a virus spreads throughout a population, and parasites can increase their own spread by manipulating the behavior of their host. When animals are sick, they may isolate themselves voluntarily or be isolated by others. Infected animals may also simply reflect illness in their behavior by sleeping more and socializing less, which is a common form of social distancing that does not require cooperation.

The researchers designed an experiment to investigate how sickness affects relationships among vampire bats over time. Using high-resolution data, the team analyzed the behavior of 31 female vampire bats from a roost inside a hollow tree in Lamanai, Belize.

Half of the bats were infected with an immune-challenging substance, and the other half received saline injections. Over the next three days, the bats were released back into their hollow tree wearing proximity sensors.

The experts tracked changes in the associations among 16 "sick" bats and 15 control bats in their natural environment.

The bats that felt ill were found to associate with fewer individuals, spend less time with others, and were less socially connected to healthy bats.

During a period of six hours, the sick bats engaged with an average of four fewer members of the community compared to bats in the control group. The bats that felt under the weather also spent less time engaging with each individual by about 25 minutes.

Overall, the researchers discovered that the social networks among vampire bats are surprisingly dynamic. 

"The sensors gave us an amazing new window into how the social behavior of these bats changed from hour to hour and even minute to minute during the course of the day and night, even while they are hidden in the darkness of a hollow tree," said study lead author Simon Ripperger. "We've gone from collecting data every day to every few seconds."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/beheco">Behavioral Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vampire bats practice social distancing when they feel sick

Vampire bats socially distance themselves when they are sick, according...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> is the first of its kind to investigate the number of COVID-19 deaths that are linked to air <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exposure-to-fine-particle-pollution-linked-to-higher-risk-of-dementia/">pollution</a> worldwide. The researchers found that long-term exposure to air pollution has increased the global COVID-19 mortality rate by an average of 15 percent.

"When people inhale polluted air, the very small polluting particles, the PM2.5, migrate from the lungs to the blood and blood vessels, causing inflammation and severe oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between free radicals and oxidants in the body that normally repair damage to cells," said Professor Thomas Münzel. 

"This causes damage to the inner lining of arteries, the endothelium, and leads to the narrowing and stiffening of the arteries. The COVID-19 virus also enters the body via the lungs, causing similar damage to blood vessels, and it is now considered to be an endothelial disease."

According to the study, approximately 19 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Europe and 27 percent of deaths from the coronavirus in East Asia have resulted from the compounding health impacts of air pollution.

The experts explain that these numbers represent an estimate of the fraction of COVID-19 deaths that could have been avoided without harmful emissions from fossil fuels. The study authors note that this "does not imply a direct cause-effect relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality." 

Instead, the estimates refer to the relationships between the virus and air pollution that worsen pre-existing health conditions and can lead to fatal outcomes.

The study was focused on data from previous studies in the United States and China which examined the effects of air pollution, COVID-19, and the SARS outbreak in 2003. This information was combined with satellite data on atmospheric PM2.5 concentrations to create a model that could predict the number of coronavirus deaths attributable to long-term PM2.5 exposure. 

Among individual countries, the researchers found that air pollution likely contributed to 29 percent of coronavirus deaths in the Czech Republic, 27 percent in China, 26 percent in Germany, 18 percent in France, and 16 percent in Sweden. Furthermore, three percent of COVID-19 deaths were tied to pollution in Australia, and one percent in New Zealand.

"Since the numbers of deaths from COVID-19 are increasing all the time, it's not possible to give exact or final numbers of COVID-19 deaths per country that can be attributed to air pollution," said study co-author Professor Jos Lelieveld.

"However, as an example, in the UK there have been over 44,000 coronavirus deaths and we estimate that the fraction attributable to air pollution is 14%, meaning that more than 6,100 deaths could be attributed to air pollution. In the USA, more than 220,000 COVID deaths with a fraction of 18% yields about 40,000 deaths attributable to air pollution."

"If both long-term exposure to air pollution and infection with the COVID-19 virus come together then we have an additive adverse effect on health, particularly with respect to the heart and blood vessels, which leads to greater vulnerability and less resilience to COVID-19," said Professor Münzel. "If you already have heart disease, then air pollution and coronavirus infection will cause trouble that can lead to heart attacks, heart failure and stroke."

Previous studies suggest that the fine particulates in air pollution may prolong the atmospheric lifetime of infectious viruses, helping them spread farther. Professor Lelieveld said it is likely that particulate matter plays a role in "super-spreading events" by favoring transmission.

"Particulate matter seems to increase the activity of a receptor on cell surfaces, called ACE-2, that is known to be involved in the way COVID-19 infects cells," said Professor Münzel. "So we have a 'double hit': air pollution damages the lungs and increases the activity of ACE-2, which in turn leads to enhanced uptake of the virus by the lungs and probably by the blood vessels and the heart."

The study authors conclude that the findings suggest the potential for substantial benefits from reducing air pollution exposure, even at relatively low PM2.5 levels.

"A lesson from our environmental perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the quest for effective policies to reduce anthropogenic emissions, which cause both air pollution and climate change, needs to be accelerated. The pandemic ends with the vaccination of the population or with herd immunity through extensive infection of the population." "However, there are no vaccines against poor air quality and climate change. The remedy is to mitigate emissions. The transition to a green economy with clean, renewable energy sources will further both environmental and public health locally through improved air quality and globally by limiting climate change."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj">European Heart Journal</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution has increased COVID-19 deaths by at least 15 percent

A new study published by the European Society of Cardiology...

A team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> has found that access to affordable healthcare can make an incredible difference in helping to address deforestation, as well as the growing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-lizards-are-surprisingly-adaptable-to-climate-extremes/">climate</a> crisis. 

In a unique approach to protecting rainforests, nonprofit organizations <a href="https://www.alamsehatlestari.org/">Alam Sehat Lestari</a> and <a href="https://healthinharmony.org/">Health In Harmony</a> established a healthcare clinic in the vicinity of the Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. 

The clinic was made affordable by accepting barter as payment and by giving discounts to villages based on community-wide reductions in logging. This approach may ultimately be used as a framework for preserving the world's forests while improving health among poor communities.

The Stanford team analyzed the outcomes of the new health clinic and determined that over ten years, deforestation declined by 70 percent across the park.

Study co-author Michele Barry is the senior associate dean of Global Health at Stanford and director of the Center for Innovation in Global Health.

"This innovative model has clear global health implications," said Barry. "Health and climate can and should be addressed in unison, and done in coordination with and respect for local communities."

More than 100 trees are lost from tropical forests around the world every second. These forests serve as some of the world's most important carbon sinks and are critically needed to slow climate change and species extinctions.

When protected areas are established, failure to address the local community's needs can lead to illegal logging and other land use changes. A lack of access to affordable healthcare can compound the problem by perpetuating cycles of poor health and the associated costs.

Between 1985 and 2001, Gunung Palung National Park had lost 60 percent of its forest to illegal logging. The clinic served thousands of patients while accepting a range of alternative payments, such as tree seedlings, hand-made crafts, and labor. The bartering system was created in collaboration with local communities. 

The clinic also provided discounts to villages that could show evidence of reductions in illegal logging. Beyond gaining access to affordable healthcare, the local residents were provided training in sustainable, organic agriculture.

In collaboration with the nonprofits as well as other institutions, the Stanford researchers analyzed more than 10 years of the clinic's patient health records and satellite observations of forest cover. 

The analysis revealed that there were significant declines in the transmission of infectious and non-communicable diseases, such as malaria and tuberculosis. At the same time, there was a 70 percent reduction in deforestation throughout the park - an amount equivalent to more than 6,770 acres of rainforest.

"We didn't know what to expect when we started evaluating the program's health and conservation impacts, but were continually amazed that the data suggested such a strong link between improvements in health care access and tropical forest conservation," said study lead author Isabel Jones.

The researchers found that the greatest reductions in logging occurred adjacent to villages with the highest rates of clinic visits.

"This is a case study of how to design, implement and evaluate a planetary health intervention that addresses human health and the health of rainforests on which our health depends," said study co-author Susanne Sokolow.

Monica Nirmala was the executive director of the healthcare clinic from 2014 to 2018 and is currently a board member of Health In Harmony.

"The data support two important conclusions: human health is integral to the conservation of nature and vice versa, and we need to listen to the guidance of rainforest communities who know best how to live in balance with their forests," said Nirmala.

Stanford researchers are working with Alam Sehat Lestari and Health In Harmony as they establish affordable healthcare clinics in other rainforest communities in Brazil, Indonesia, and Madagascar.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Affordable healthcare can help slow deforestation

A team of researchers led by Stanford University has found...

Production in the Corn Belt appears to be thriving, yet conceals a growing issue, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>. The researchers found that corn yields in the United States are becoming increasingly sensitive to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-heatwaves-are-coinciding-more-frequent/">drought</a> conditions.

The investigation was based on differences in soil moisture retention across the Corn Belt. The findings may ultimately help to speed up the development of ways to make crops more resilient to climate change. 

Study study lead author David Lobell is the Deputy Director of the Center on Food Security and the Environment and a professor of Earth System Science at Stanford. 

"The good news is that new technologies are really helping to raise yields, in all types of weather conditions," said Lobell. "The bad news is that these technologies, which include some specifically designed to withstand drought, are so helpful in good conditions that the cost of bad conditions are rising. So there's no sign yet that they will help reduce the cost of climate change."

The production of corn in the United States has been surging despite rising temperatures, resistant weeds, and other concerns. The industry has set record yields in five of the last seven years, and this is likely due to improved management practices, including the adoption of drought-resistant strains. The high yields may also be attributed to changes in the environment, such as lower ozone levels and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. However, the researchers predict that as climate change intensifies, it will become more costly to maintain corn yields.

The Stanford team used county soil maps and satellite-based yield estimates, and other data to examine fields in the Corn Belt, which is a nine-state region of the Midwest that accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. corn production. The experts looked at drought stress across the corn fields to evaluate how their tolerance is changing over time. 

The study showed that there was wide variation in soil moisture retention, with some soils able to hold twice as much water as others. As expected, better soil moisture retention meant higher corn yields. In some cases, soil's ability to hold moisture was three times more effective at boosting yields than an equivalent increase in precipitation.

The researchers also determined that yield sensitivity to soil water storage increased by 55 percent between 1999 and 2018, and larger increases in sensitivity were found in drier states. The results make it clear that lower soil moisture retention is a primary driver of yield loss.

According to the experts, various factors have contributed to the increased sensitivity of corn yields to drought. For example, higher plant density demands more water. 

The researchers are calling for greater access to field-level yield data that are measured independently of weather data, such as government insurance records, in order to gain a better understanding of how climate impacts to corn yields are evolving over time.

"This study shows the power of satellite data, and if needed we can try to track things from space alone. That's exciting," said Lobell. "But knowing if farmers are adapting well to climate stress, and which practices are most helpful, are key questions for our nation. In today's world there's really no good reason that researchers shouldn't have access to all the best available data to answer these questions."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natfood">Nature Food</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Corn yields in the U.S. have become more sensitive to drought

Production in the Corn Belt appears to be thriving, yet...

Birds vanishing in the Amazon represent a global shift in biodiversity. Birds that forage near the floor of the Amazon rainforest are vanishing, and these losses may have gone unnoticed without a long-term study by scientists at <a href="https://www.lsu.edu/">Louisiana State University</a> (LSU). The team had been conducting field studies in the Amazon for years when they noticed that certain <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/giant-animals-vanished-from-madagascar-after-humans-arrived/">animals</a> were becoming difficult to find.  

The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest and contains an incredible amount of biodiversity. The region is also home to some of the only ecosystems on the planet that are largely protected from the pressures of human activities. However, the current research suggests that even the most pristine places are no longer protected from the impacts of climate change. 

Study lead author Professor Philip Stouffer began conducting research deep in the Amazon rainforest - north of Manaus, Brazil - when he was a postdoctoral researcher with the Smithsonian in 1991.

With funding from the National Science Foundation, Professor Stouffer monitored birds as part of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project until 2016. Around 2008, Stouffer and his graduate students noticed they were having trouble finding some of the bird species they had monitored over the years.

"What we think is happening is an erosion of biodiversity, a loss of some of the richness in a place where we would hope biodiversity can be maintained," said Professor Stouffer.

The researchers set out to investigate by collecting new data that could be compared to samples from the early 1980s. Using computer modeling, the team analyzed more than 35 years of data that included 55 sites.

"It's a very robust dataset from a variety of places collected over many years. It's not just some fluke. It looks like there's a real pattern and it looks like it could be linked to things we know are happening with global climate change that are affecting even this pristine place," said Professor Stephen Midway.

"Our nostalgia was correct - certain birds are much less common than they used to be," said Professor Stouffer. "If animal patterns are changing in the absence of landscape change, it signals a sobering warning that simply preserving forests will not maintain rainforest biodiversity."

Overall, the birds that have declined the most are species that live on or near the forest floor where they feed on insects. However, there is some variation in which of these birds have survived and which have begun to vanish. 

For example, the Wing-banded Antbird is one of the species that has become rare in recent decades. By contrast, the White-plumed Antbird has not declined and remains common. While both of these species hunt for insects on the forest floor, the White-plumed Antbird has a specific feeding strategy that seems to work to its advantage. These clever birds wait for swarms of marauding ants to stir up insects that are normally hidden on the forest floor and prey on them. 

The study also revealed that birds which also eat fruit are increasing in abundance. This suggests that omnivorous birds with more flexible diets can adjust to changing environmental conditions.

The experts say that further research is needed to better understand the hidden losses that are taking place in the Amazon rainforest, as well as in other regions. 

"The idea that things are changing, even in the most pristine parts of our planet yet we don't even know it, illustrates the need for us to pay more attention," said Professor Stouffer.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds vanishing in the Amazon represent a global shift in biodiversity

Birds vanishing in the Amazon represent a global shift in...

Many young adults are unaware of common stroke symptoms. Nearly 30 percent of young adults do not know the common symptoms of a stroke, according to a new report published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, and tens of thousands of young <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fewer-young-adults-are-abusing-alcohol-compared-to-20-years-ago/">adults</a> suffer from this type of cardiovascular event each year in the United States.

While research suggests that stroke incidence is declining in the general population, this is not the case for people under the age of 45. Over the past few decades, stroke incidence has increased by more than 40 percent in young adults.

Study co-author Dr. Khurram Nasir is the chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center in Houston, Texas. 

"While the medical community has made significant improvements to reduce the severity and complications of strokes with early interventions, these efforts are of limited value if patients do not recognize stroke symptoms," said Dr. Nasir."Time is critical for treating stroke. The earlier people recognize symptoms, the better their chances are to reduce long-term disability from stroke."

The researchers analyzed responses to the 2017 National Health Interview Survey, which asked adults to identify five of the most common stroke symptoms: confusion or trouble speaking; numbness in face, arm, or leg; dizziness or loss of balance; severe headache; and difficulty seeing with one of both eyes.

The study was focused on the survey responses of nearly 10,000 young adults under the age of 45. Overall, 28.9 percent of these participants were not aware of all five common stroke symptoms. Hundreds of the respondents were not familiar with even one symptom.

Dr. Nasir said the number of young adults who are unaware of stroke symptoms is surprising. "With the growing risk of stroke among younger adults in the U.S., our study sheds light on particularly vulnerable individuals and communities that already experience a disproportionately greater burden of stroke and cardiovascular risk factors, as well as reduced access to health care services."

"We hope that highlighting the continued impact of current health disparities may advance focused public health strategies and educational initiatives to increase awareness of and appropriate response to stroke symptoms."

Dr. Mitchell S. V. Elkind noted that with timely medical attention, stroke is largely treatable. "The faster you are treated, the more likely you are to minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death." 

"Calling 9-1-1 is critical because trained EMS personnel can start the care protocol en route to the hospital and have specialized teams standing by, ready at the hospital to administer the most appropriate treatment immediately," said Dr. Elkind.

According to Dr. Nasir, there is an urgent need to address contemporary health inequities head-on through multidisciplinary public health approaches.

"Our results show that novel strategies are required at the population level to increase symptom awareness among young adults, where we have found a higher-risk population with substantial variations in symptom recognition."

The study is published in <a href="https://www.stroke.org/">Stroke</a>, a journal of the American Stroke Association.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Many young adults are unaware of common stroke symptoms

Many young adults are unaware of common stroke symptoms. Nearly...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has found that the globalized economy is putting too much pressure on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-system-pulls-clean-water-from-the-air-using-only-heat/">water</a>, energy, and land resources. According to the researchers, countries which are highly dependent on trade are potentially more at risk from resource insecurity, especially as climate change is causing extreme weather events to become more common. 

Because countries depend on both domestic production and international trade for their goods and services, they are draining natural resources beyond their own borders.

The Cambridge team used macroeconomic data to quantify the strain that the globalized economy is placing on the world's resources. The analysis revealed that most countries are highly exposed to over-exploited and insecure water, energy, and land resources, whether they are impacted directly through domestic production or indirectly through imported goods. The greatest overall risk was tied to international trade, mainly from remote countries.

In recent decades, the worldwide economy has become highly interconnected through globalization. For example, it is not uncommon for each component of a product to originate from a different country. Globalization helps companies keep their costs down and allows them to make their products almost anywhere in the world. However, after estimating the resource use of 189 countries, the team found that many nations are imposing demands on resources that are already strained in other countries.

The experts report that severe weather can also increase resource insecurity in countries that rely the most on food imports. 

"There has been plenty of research comparing countries in terms of their water, energy and land footprints, but what hasn't been studied is the scale and source of their risks," said Dr. Oliver Taherzadeh. "We found that the role of trade has been massively underplayed as a source of resource insecurity - it's actually a bigger source of risk than domestic production."

"This type of analysis hasn't been carried out for a large number of countries before. By quantifying the pressures that our consumption places on water, energy and land resources in far-off corners of the world, we can also determine how much risk is built into our interconnected world."

The study authors are calling for an urgent investigation into the scale and source of consumed goods and services, both in individual countries and globally, as economies seek to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Covid-19 has shown just how poorly-prepared governments and businesses are for a global crisis," said Dr. Taherzadeh. "But however bad the direct and indirect consequences of Covid-19 have been, climate breakdown, biodiversity collapse and resource insecurity are far less predictable problems to manage - and the potential consequences are far more severe. If the 'green economic recovery' is to respond to these challenges, we need to radically rethink the scale and source of consumption."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/global-environmental-change">Global Environmental Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Globalized economy is placing too much pressure on resources

A new study from the University of Cambridge has found...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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.

How the immune system responds to injury

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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