Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy.



This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellowstone-aspens-and-elk">Yellowstone, aspens, and elk</h2>



In the 1920s, people <a href="https://www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminated wolves in Yellowstone</a>. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right thing to do.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/">Without wolves</a>, elk herds grew very large. Elk love to eat aspen shoots - the tender young growth is highly palatable to them.



For roughly 70 years, elk browsed aspen sprouts down to stub height, and the trees couldn't grow. 



If you had walked through Yellowstone in the 1980s, you would have seen many tiny aspen shoots covering the ground, but almost no young trees gaining height. 



The forest's regeneration was stalled. Old trees died, and no new ones replaced them.



In 1995 and 1996, park managers reintroduced wolves into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone Park ecosystem</a>. Scientists hoped and wondered whether this would change anything for the trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspen-matter-to-yellowstone">Why aspen matter to Yellowstone</h2>



Aspen groves provide habitat for many species. Birds nest in them. Beavers eat the bark and use the wood for dams. Butterflies and moths lay eggs on the leaves. 



Their canopy admits enough light for wildflowers and shrubs to grow beneath. When it rains, aspen groves hold water in the soil better than some other forest types.



In short, when aspen return, dozens of other species benefit. More trees support more insects, which in turn support more birds, enriching the ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-trees-three-decades-later">Checking the trees three decades later</h2>



<a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Painter</a>, an ecologist at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>, sought clear answers. His team returned to 87 aspen stands across Yellowstone that scientists had previously surveyed. 



They measured thousands of young trees, looked for bite marks, and counted how many stems were tall enough that elk could no longer reach the tips.



About a third of these stands now have many tall young aspens pushing toward the canopy. 



"About 26 of the 87 aspen stands we examined had large numbers of tall saplings throughout, a remarkable change from the 1990s when surveys found none at all," Painter said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-wolves-matter-to-yellowstone-aspens">Why wolves matter to Yellowstone aspens</h2>



Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">Wolves hunt elk</a>. When wolves came back, two things happened. First, elk numbers declined from unusually high levels. Second, elk changed their behavior. They spent less time in the same areas feeding.



With fewer elk and shorter feeding bouts, more aspen shoots survived long enough to exceed the browsing zone - about six to seven feet high. 



Once a sapling reaches that height, elk cannot easily reach the growing tip. The tree continues to grow.



"The reintroduction of large carnivores has initiated a recovery process that had been shut down for decades," Painter explained.



Scientists call this a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/trophic-cascades-across-diverse-plant-ecosystems-80060347/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a> - when adding or removing one species causes changes that ripple through the whole system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-places-recover-others-don-t">Some places recover, others don't</h2>



Unfortunately, not every aspen stand has recovered yet. Some valleys still have many short, heavily browsed shoots, because it's not only elk eating them anymore. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstones-iconic-bison-have-merged-into-a-single-herd/">Bison herds have grown</a>, and bison browse on aspen as well. They are strong enough to break young trees. 



"Increasing numbers of bison may be emerging as a new constraint to aspen in some areas," Painter confirmed.



Additionally, winter snow depth varies; droughts stress trees; bears and mountain lions also hunt elk; and hunting outside the park influences elk distribution. 



All of these factors interact, which is why some sites show strong recovery, others show moderate recovery, and a few have changed very little.



The key pattern is that places with many tall saplings experience little browsing, and aspen groves that remain popular eating grounds today stay short. 



This fact is the strongest indication that tree recovery is linked directly to wolf presence, not solely to weather or soil conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proof-in-the-measurements">Proof in the measurements</h2>



Painter's team did not rely on casual observation. They used the same methods as earlier researchers, measuring the same plots. 



They counted recruitment - when young trees surpass browsing height and begin progressing toward maturity. This measure is crucial. Sprouts are insufficient if they never grow; without recruitment, the forest cannot replace itself.



The results are robust. After being stalled for most of a century, Yellowstone's aspens are increasing in height. In recovering stands today, you will see saplings - six, eight, or ten feet tall - that were not present in the 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-yellowstone-s-aspens">The future of Yellowstone's aspens</h2>



"This is a remarkable case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">ecological restoration</a>," Painter concluded. "Wolf reintroduction is yielding long-term ecological changes contributing to increased biodiversity and habitat diversity."



Trees grow slowly, so even with wolves restored, it will take decades for these young aspens to form a full-grown forest. 



Some areas might never fully recover if bison numbers continue to rise or if the climate becomes too hot and dry.



Thanks to the work of Painter and his team, scientists are now certain that restoring the Yellowstone predator has restarted aspen forest regeneration. Not everywhere and not perfectly, but enough to be measured, creating hope for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



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Yellowstone's aspen trees are growing again thanks to the reintroduction of wolves

Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy. This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns. Yellowstone, aspens, and elk In the 1920s, people eliminated wolves in Yellowstone. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right...

For decades, scientists have been trying to explain why some lunar rocks appear to carry signs of strong magnetism, even though the moon has no magnetic field today. 



The mystery began when orbiting spacecraft detected patches of highly magnetized rock, especially on the far side of the moon. How could that be, if the moon has no global magnetic field now?



A team of scientists may finally have the answer. The study suggests that the moon’s magnetic rocks could be the result of a short-lived magnetic burst caused by an ancient asteroid impact.



This event, combined with a weak magnetic field that once existed on the moon, could have created the conditions for temporary magnetism.



To test this idea, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> conducted detailed simulations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-sudden-surge-of-magnetism">A sudden surge of magnetism</h2>



The study revealed that a large asteroid impact could have created a cloud of plasma - charged, ionized particles - around the moon. 



This cloud, according to the simulations, would have streamed around the moon and concentrated on the side opposite the impact. There, it would have interacted with and briefly boosted the moon’s weak magnetic field.



If any rocks were in that region at the time, they could have recorded this spike in magnetism before the field quickly faded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temporary-magnetism-on-the-moon">Temporary magnetism on the moon</h2>



Interestingly, one of the moon’s biggest impact sites - the Imbrium basin - is located on the near side. Its exact opposite point, on the far side near the south pole, is where scientists have detected strongly magnetized rocks. 



The study suggests the Imbrium impact could be the very event that created the conditions for this temporary magnetism.



Isaac Narrett is a graduate student in the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) and the study's lead author.



“There are large parts of lunar magnetism that are still unexplained,” said Narrett. "But the majority of the strong magnetic fields that are measured by orbiting spacecraft can be explained by this process - especially on the far side of the moon.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-the-source-of-lunar-magnetism">Rethinking the source of lunar magnetism</h2>



For a long time, scientists believed the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-is-inside-moons-interior-solid-inner-core/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">moon</a> may have once generated its own global magnetic field through a “dynamo” - a process involving a molten, churning core, like the one Earth uses to maintain its magnetic field.



But the moon’s core is small, and any such dynamo would have been weak. It didn’t seem strong enough to account for the highly magnetized rocks seen on the far side.



Other scientists had explored the idea of a plasma-generating impact. A 2020 study simulated whether a solar magnetic field, boosted by an asteroid impact, could have produced the observed magnetism. That idea didn’t hold up - the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/origin-of-the-suns-magnetic-field-discovered-after-400-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sun’s magnetic field</a> at the moon’s distance was too weak to matter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-a-new-hypothesis">Testing a new hypothesis </h2>



This time, the researchers changed the starting point. Instead of focusing on the sun, they assumed the moon had a dynamo-generated magnetic field of its own - about one microtesla in strength, or roughly 50 times weaker than Earth’s field today.



The team simulated a massive impact like the one that formed the Imbrium basin. This impact would have vaporized a large amount of surface material, creating a plasma cloud.



Collaborators at the University of Michigan developed a code to simulate how that cloud would move and interact with the moon’s magnetic field.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-impact-and-shockwaves">The power of impact and shockwaves</h2>



The simulations revealed that the plasma would partly escape into space, but some of it would wrap around the moon and converge on the far side. There, it would briefly intensify the moon’s weak magnetic field. This enhancement would last for only about 40 minutes.



Would that be enough time for the rocks to remember the magnetism? Apparently, yes - thanks to another side effect of the impact. The researchers found that a shockwave from the collision would travel through the moon like a seismic wave and reach the far side.



This pressure wave would disturb the rocks’ electrons - which align with magnetic fields - just as the field peaked. As the rocks settled, their electrons would lock into this stronger magnetic alignment.



“It’s as if you throw a 52-card deck in the air, in a magnetic field, and each card has a compass needle,” said study co-author Benjamin Weiss. “When the cards settle back to the ground, they do so in a new orientation. That’s essentially the magnetization process.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-moon-s-magnetized-rocks">Studying the moon's magnetized rocks</h2>



The team believes this chain of events - a weak lunar dynamo, a large impact, plasma generation, and a shockwave - could explain many of the magnetized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-rocks-may-unlock-secrets-of-the-moons-magnetic-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rocks on the moon</a>, particularly those on the far side.



One way to confirm the idea is by collecting rock samples from that region and checking for signs of both shock and strong magnetism. This might happen soon. The rocks are near the lunar south pole, where NASA’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/artemis-launch-a-new-era-of-lunar-exploration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Artemis</a> program is planning future missions.



“For several decades, there’s been sort of a conundrum over the moon’s magnetism - is it from impacts or is it from a dynamo? And here we’re saying, it’s a little bit of both," noted study co-author Rona Oran. "And it’s a testable hypothesis, which is nice.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr7401" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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What happened to the moon’s magnetism? Scientists may finally have the answer

For decades, scientists have been trying to explain why some...

Wildfires have been a dominant ecological force in Southern forests for millennia, shaping longleaf pine ecosystems, wiregrass savannas, and oak-hickory uplands. Yet the way fire moves through the landscape is changing, and so are the lives and livelihoods that lie in its path.



A new assessment from the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/">USDA Forest Service</a>, produced with the Southern Group of State Foresters, takes a close look at how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-for-disaster-raising-awareness-to-reduce-wildfire-risks/">wildfire risk</a> may evolve across the southeastern United States between now and the middle of the century. It also explores what land managers can do to stay ahead of the flames.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-today-s-fire-danger-zones">Today's fire danger zones</h2>



Research ecologist Lars Pomara and his colleagues began by modeling current hazards in every county from Virginia to Texas.



The team considered two kinds of danger to people: direct exposure to flames and indirect exposure to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smoke</a>, which can travel far beyond a fire line.



The researchers also analyzed the likelihood that high-intensity burns could release vast stores of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-co2-emissions-from-forest-fires-have-surged-by-60-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> from living trees and soil, as well as the risk that ash and erosion could impair watersheds supplying drinking water.



The resulting maps reveal a patchwork of vulnerabilities. Fast-growing coastal counties, for example, already face some of the highest combined threats because new subdivisions press up against fire-prone pine plantations.



Mountain valleys in the southern Appalachians and Ozarks look safer at first glance, but many of their steep slopes are covered in dense fuel thanks to decades of fire suppression.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-outlook-to-2050">Fire outlook to 2050</h2>



After capturing the baseline, the team explored several plausible futures. These included hotter or milder climates, changing rural populations, and forests either actively managed with fire or left to grow dense.



Even in mild scenarios, parts of the Southeastern Coastal Plain face greater wildfire risk by the 2050s. Under hotter, drier projections, patterns in parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama began to resemble the fire regimes of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/texas-could-face-the-worst-drought-conditions-in-1000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Texas</a> today.



Population trends amplify those ecological shifts. The South is the fastest-growing region of the United States, and many newcomers favor wooded lots on the urban fringe.



As houses spread into what scientists call the wildland-urban interface, straightforward brush fires can turn into multi-million-dollar emergencies almost overnight. The report warns that people are likely to become more exposed to dangerous fires and smoke as these interfaces expand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-as-friend-and-foe">Fire as friend and foe</h2>



At the center of the analysis lies an apparent contradiction: the best tool for preventing catastrophic wildfire is more fire. 



Many southern ecosystems rely on regular, low-intensity burns to recycle nutrients and allow sunlight to reach the forest floor. These fires also prevent the buildup of leaves, twigs, and saplings that can turn a lightning strike into a destructive crown fire.



That is why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/controlled-fires-can-help-us-save-grasslands-from-disappearing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prescribed burning</a> - carefully planned and executed by trained crews - features prominently in every management strategy the authors tested.



When fire isn’t safe, mechanical thinning and fire-smart planning can help reduce wildfire risk. In densely populated counties, the researchers found that combining fuel treatments with defensible-space ordinances around homes could significantly reduce structure loss. This holds true even under hotter future climate scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-focus-limited-resources">Where to focus limited resources</h2>



Because budgets and personnel are limited, the report layers its risk maps with maps of potential payoffs from fuel reduction. The goal is to target efforts where they protect the most people, key watersheds, or carbon reserves per acre treated.



“Anyone who is working in the Southeast in conservation or forest management needs to be able to prioritize work and point their resources at the places where they see opportunities to get the most efficient and effective work done, including wildfire risk management,” Pomara said.



A triage mindset is essential, the authors note, as climate change may shrink the safe window for prescribed burns. Warmer springs and falls can extend the natural fire season; summer humidity, once a reliable brake on flames, may no longer suffice.



Forest conditions, too, are shifting. Blight-killed red bay stands along the coast and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-fires-diminish-forests-carbon-storage-ability/">drought</a>-stressed pines in the Piedmont both add to regional fuel loads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-western-neighbors">Lessons from western neighbors</h2>



One eye-catching conclusion is that by mid-century, conditions in much of the Southeast could resemble those in Texas and parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/american-southwest-megadrought-is-the-worst-in-12-centuries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southwest</a>. These regions are already hotter, windier, and more fire-adapted.



That realization invites cross-regional learning. Western crews have developed techniques for large-scale burns, smoke modeling, and community evacuation planning. These skills could be invaluable as the South enters its own era of increased wildfire activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-southern-forests">Changing southern forests</h2>



The wildfire outlook is the third report in the Southern Forest Outlook series, following earlier studies on timber markets and water supply. Each chapter powers an interactive map where users can explore local wildfire projections and access risk-management resources.



“Forest management will be challenged in coming decades to confront the threats posed by wildfire while sustaining the positive roles of fire in southern forests,” Pomara said.



His team’s work implies that the challenge is daunting but not impossible. Where prescribed fire is used and mechanical thinning fills the gaps, forest health can be maintained. When communities also reduce ignition risks, the South can better protect both people and property.



By highlighting both hotspots of future danger and corridors of opportunity, the report offers a roadmap for action. The flames of tomorrow are not yet burning, and with strategic effort today, many of them never will.



The full Forest Service report can be found <a href="https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/69155" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Wildfire risk is rapidly rising across the southern U.S.

Wildfires have been a dominant ecological force in Southern forests...

Lightning is an incredibly powerful force of nature, yet only in recent decades have researchers acquired the tools to begin to understand how it works. A new multi-sensor analysis spotted a terrestrial gamma ray flash blasting out of a thundercloud just moments before two lightning pathways collided. 



“The ability to study extreme processes such as TGFs originating in lightning allows us to better understand the high-energy processes occurring in Earth’s atmosphere,” said lead researcher, Yuuki Wada, from <a href="https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Osaka</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gamma-radiation-on-earth">Gamma radiation on Earth</h2>



Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes usually appear in fleeting bursts. They have been linked to energetic electrons racing through electric fields high above ground.



Most gamma-ray sources are thought to reside far beyond Earth, yet scientists now realize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-sparks-the-discovery-of-a-new-electromagnetic-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lightning</a> can produce powerful photons in our own skies.



Heavy charges in a storm can propel electrons close to light speed, letting them emit short, forceful pulses of gamma rays.



“Some mysteries remain, but this technique has brought us closer to understanding these fascinating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-may-have-delivered-the-building-blocks-of-life-to-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiation</a> bursts,” said senior author, Harufumi Tsuchiya, from The University of Osaka. 



Experts were uncertain how these electric surges became strong enough to produce such potent flashes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-lightning-gamma-event">Rare lightning-gamma event</h2>



A team stationed near Kanazawa in central Japan used a combined system of optical, radio-frequency, and high-energy detectors to monitor winter storms. 



This array recorded a flash that matched a negative leader descending from a thundercloud and a channel rising from the ground.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/lightning_terrestrial-gamma-ray-flash_connected_credit-Yuuki-Wada_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/lightning_terrestrial-gamma-ray-flash_connected_credit-Yuuki-Wada_1s.webp" alt="An upward positive leader that produced a downward terrestrial gamma-ray flash, extending from a television broadcast tower. Credit: Yuuki Wada" class="wp-image-1971048"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An upward positive leader that produced a downward terrestrial gamma-ray flash, extending from a television broadcast tower. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Yuuki Wada</figcaption></figure>



The paths nearly touched when the surrounding electric field rose sharply. That collision triggered an intense discharge measured at -56 kiloamperes, confirming the enormous energy transfer at play.



This brief interval offered a rare peek into something scientists once thought unobservable. By locking onto the flash and mapping its timing with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-on-earth-can-influence-the-weather-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lightning strokes</a>, the setup caught a phenomenon most equipment would miss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-paths-and-gamma-rays">Lightning paths and gamma rays</h2>



<a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-science-initiation-leaders" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lightning leaders</a> are electrified channels that carry charge upward or downward. When a positive leader travels up and meets a negative one moving down, the electric field between them concentrates.



Investigators have long suspected that this meeting point can fire off bursts of <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2003GL017781" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-energy radiation</a>. Observations suggest electrons there gain enough momentum to produce gamma rays.



These flashes happen so quickly that catching them requires extremely precise sensors. Ground-based <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.264.5163.1313" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> in the 1990s hinted at such bursts, spurring more intense campaigns to understand how lightning channels might behave.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-delayed-radiation-from-neutrons">Delayed radiation from neutrons</h2>



Scientists also noticed something odd after the main gamma-ray flash ended. For nearly 80 milliseconds afterward, a lingering signal was picked up, especially by the <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/aip/rsi/article/95/9/093501/3310871/Relative-sensitivity-of-plastic-scintillator-A" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-sensitivity plastic scintillator</a>.



This prolonged glow wasn’t from the original flash but likely from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/photonuclear-reaction" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photonuclear reactions</a> - where ultra-high-energy photons slam into atmospheric atoms, releasing <a href="https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsneutrons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutrons</a>.



These neutrons then slow down and trigger further gamma-ray emissions as they’re captured. This faint afterglow is another marker that what was observed was no ordinary lightning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microlightning-from-water-droplets-may-have-sparked-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">event</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-lightning-creates-gamma-rays">How lightning creates gamma rays</h2>



The timing of this entire event was remarkably precise. 



The first gamma-ray photon was detected just 31 microseconds before the main lightning channels touched, and the full flash ended about 20 microseconds after the collision.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/lightning_terrestrial-gamma-ray-flash_illustration_Yuuki-Wada_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/lightning_terrestrial-gamma-ray-flash_illustration_Yuuki-Wada_1s.webp" alt="A schematic of a downward terrestrial gamma-ray flash associated with a collision of leaders. Credit: Yuuki Wada" class="wp-image-1971050"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A schematic of a downward terrestrial gamma-ray flash associated with a collision of leaders. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Yuuki Wada</figcaption></figure>



Researchers estimate the downward negative leader moved at nearly 1.8 million meters per second. That’s about 4 million miles per hour - fast enough to stretch over 2,700 miles in just one second. 



The upward positive leader was a little slower, but still incredibly quick at nearly half that speed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



Facilities like broadcast towers and power grids can take a severe hit from stronger surges than typical lightning strokes. 



Research into these extreme pulses may guide how to fortify sites where large currents could pose a threat.



Understanding these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-clues-about-the-brightest-gamma-ray-burst-of-all-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gamma ray flashes</a> also reveals how our atmosphere responds to intense energy shocks. 



Some scientists believe these findings could help refine models for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seeking-the-origins-of-the-molecule-that-made-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ionization events</a> during severe storms.



Better data from multi-sensor observations can serve as stepping stones for robust lightning protection. 



Enhanced tower designs and upgraded grounding strategies may become the norm if more flashes are confirmed in storm-prone regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-continues-to-surprise">Lightning continues to surprise</h2>



Future field projects aim to locate similar flashes in diverse climates. More advanced radiation monitors are planned to see whether these events appear in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-is-fueling-more-intense-and-dangerous-thunderstorms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ordinary thunderstorms</a> or mainly in special conditions.



Studies in varied locations, including coastal winter storms, may unearth additional factors that spark this phenomenon. <a href="https://people.ee.duke.edu/~cummer/reprints/136_Smith11_GRL_TGFRarity.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Efforts</a> to compare lightning-driven processes to cosmic-scale events are also emerging.



Scientists hope they can soon estimate where and when these intense fields are most likely to form. That knowledge could help pilots, power providers, and weather officials reduce surprises when lightning strikes.



This discovery shows how a simple meeting of charges in a cloud can unleash surprising bursts of energy. It reminds us that even the most familiar weather occurrences can hide astonishing secrets.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads6906" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Lightning captured creating gamma ray bursts on Earth, which normally come from space

Lightning is an incredibly powerful force of nature, yet only...

Spinner,Dolphins,Underwater,In,Blue,Ocean

In the sunlit shallows of Sarasota Bay, something extraordinary is unfolding. For over five decades, researchers have observed and recorded a resident community of bottlenose dolphins. Their goal has always been to better understand these intelligent marine mammals. 



But now, one group of scientists may have taken a significant step forward - toward understanding how dolphins might speak to each other.



This step comes not through hopeful speculation but through data, audio analysis, and decades of patient fieldwork. 



With support from institutions like the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (<a href="https://www.whoi.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHOI</a>) and Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (<a href="https://www.brookfieldzoo.org/sdrp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDRP</a>), a new frontier in dolphin communication has opened.



Laela Sayigh and her colleagues have uncovered striking patterns in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-dolphin-day-2025-honoring-the-oceans-most-playful-minds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dolphin</a> whistles - sounds that may be more than random noise. They may hold meaning, even language-like qualities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-dolphins-for-over-50-years">Studying dolphins for over 50 years</h2>



The dolphin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-dolphins-who-play-with-others-become-successful-adults/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> studied by Sayigh’s team is not anonymous. Researchers have tracked individual dolphins over decades, identifying them through physical markings and behavioral patterns. 



This has allowed them to build one of the most comprehensive sound libraries in marine mammal research.



By using suction-cup hydrophones and digital acoustic tags (DTAGs), the team recorded dolphins under natural conditions during brief health assessments. 



These methods yielded high-quality audio while maintaining the animals’ safety and well-being. Over 300 individual dolphins have been recorded this way, forming a unique archive of signature and non-signature whistles.



Several decades ago, signature whistles (SWs) were identified as unique, name-like vocalizations. They have long been the focus of research. But half of the whistles produced by Sarasota dolphins do not fall into this category. 



These lesser-studied sounds, called non-signature whistles (NSWs), have become the new focal point for research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dolphins-use-shared-whistles">Dolphins use shared whistles</h2>



The team identified 22 stereotyped NSW types. Two stood out for their frequency of use: NSWA and NSWB. 



NSWA has been recorded from at least 25 dolphins, while NSWB has appeared in the vocalizations of more than 35 individuals. These whistles are not just common - they are repeated, shared, and distinct in structure.



"Bottlenose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fentanyl-discovered-in-dolphins-what-it-means-for-marine-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dolphins</a> have long-fascinated animal communication researchers," said Sayigh. "Without the over five-decade-long study by the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, we would not have such an extensive library of vocalizations for individual dolphins." 



"With this, we can study non-signature whistles, which have received very little research attention to date. Our work shows that these whistles could potentially function like words, shared by multiple dolphins."



This is not a casual observation. Playback experiments revealed something compelling: dolphins responded differently depending on the type of whistle played back. 



NSWA often triggered avoidance, while NSWB provoked curiosity or query-type behavior. These are not random reactions - they suggest meaning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dolphins-respond-to-different-whistles">How dolphins respond to different whistles</h2>



To test the whistles’ roles, the researchers conducted playback experiments in two settings. The first took place during brief catch-and-release health assessments. The second, more complex setup, involved free-swimming dolphins monitored by drones and tagged with DTAGs.



The playback protocol involved presenting two whistle examples, followed by a silence period. Whistles included signature whistles, SW copies (SWCs), NSWs, and unfamiliar sounds. 



Researchers recorded behavioral responses such as turning, movement, or vocal mimicry. The orientation and motion data collected through accelerometers gave an additional dimension to the findings.



NSWA playbacks resulted in avoidance behaviors in most trials, suggesting an alarm function. NSWB, on the other hand, was linked to uncertain or inquisitive behavior. In some cases, dolphins even responded with a vocalization of their own - often NSWB itself.



In one notable trial, two allied male <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dolphins-smile-at-each-other-when-they-are-feeling-playful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dolphins</a> heard playbacks of their own whistles. Despite being together, they both responded by producing NSWB. This indicated the playback was unexpected and possibly confusing, prompting a query-like response.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-social-significance">Signs of social significance</h2>



A juvenile male once engaged in a 15-minute call-and-response session upon hearing his mother’s whistle played back. He mimicked all 148 stimuli with his own signature whistle. 



This behavior points to the existence of intentional, structured vocal exchange. It wasn't reflexive - it appeared thoughtful, even emotional.



In another case, dolphins copied a noisy NSW played during trials. These repeated interactions mimic elements of dialogue, implying these animals are not only hearing but replying in kind. This turns the idea of passive vocalization on its head and brings it closer to conversation.



The researchers noted that NSWB typically contains a constant frequency portion centered around 3kHz - a rare feature in Sarasota dolphin sounds. NSWA includes sharp upsweeps and downsweeps. 



These features, while unusual, appeared consistently across multiple individuals, further strengthening the case for shared meaning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dolphin-reactions-depend-on-sound-type">Dolphin reactions depend on sound type</h2>



Early trials showed that high-volume playbacks caused dolphins to avoid the source. 



The team then reduced the playback volume to match natural vocal levels. With this adjustment, dolphins still showed orientation shifts but were less likely to flee. This showed that it wasn’t just the sound’s volume, but its content, that shaped responses.



Control trials using a dolphin’s own signature whistle evoked mostly positive reactions. This reinforced previous findings that dolphins recognize their own names and respond to them in affiliative ways. 



Meanwhile, other NSW types produced mixed responses, depending on context and individual identity.



Jeremy Coller, founder of the challenge, noted that humans share this planet with millions of other species, but for far too long we've only talked among ourselves. 



"The Coller Dolittle Challenge aims to change that, so I'm excited by the fascinating work Laela and her team have done on dolphin communication. They are worthy winners and I can't wait to see how they use AI to further interpret this vast set of data."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dolphins-understand-whistle-meanings">Dolphins understand whistle meanings </h2>



This study provides the first concrete evidence that dolphins may use shared, learned, context-specific vocalizations that resemble elements of human language. 



Like SWs, which serve as vocal labels for individuals, NSWs may represent objects, events, or intentions.



The variation in responses across individuals also points to complexity. Just as humans do not all react the same way to the same word, dolphins may interpret whistle meanings based on age, sex, mood, or social context. 



In some cases, a group would approach a new subgroup after a playback. In others, individuals would turn away or stay put. Some responses suggest curiosity. Others hint at ambivalence.



The team hopes to refine their analysis further by incorporating new response categories such as "interest" and "ambivalent." With more trials and deeper analysis, the functions of each whistle type may come into clearer focus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dolphins-and-their-whistle-language">Dolphins and their whistle language</h2>



The idea that dolphins use vocal labels for more than just identifying each other opens the door to a deeper understanding. 



If non-signature whistles are learned and referential, as the data suggest, dolphins may possess a basic but real vocabulary. This is not language in the human sense - but it may not be far from it.



The study is far from over. Sayigh and her team continue to expand their whistle library and run playback experiments. They hope to map more of this vocal landscape and decode the nuances of dolphin interaction.



With each recording and each trial, researchers move closer to decoding a language that has echoed across the sea for millennia - only now are we beginning to hear it.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.21.647658v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bioRxiv</a>.



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Dolphins use whistles to communicate in what scientists believe is specialized language

In the sunlit shallows of Sarasota Bay, something extraordinary is...

Millions of people can’t see the board at school, the faces of their family, or the text on a phone simply because they lack a basic pair of prescription eyeglasses.



A sweeping analysis shows that, despite slow progress, the world is still decades away from offering everyone the clear <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-brain-splits-vision-and-puts-it-back-together/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vision</a> that glasses can provide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-access-to-eyeglasses-worldwide">Access to eyeglasses worldwide</h2>



Led by Professor Rupert Bourne of <a href="https://www.aru.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, the Vision Loss Expert Group assembled microdata from 237 eye-health surveys that together examined 815,273 adults in 76 countries.



The team calculated effective refractive error coverage (eREC) - the share of people who both own corrective lenses and achieve good vision with them. Globally, eREC reached 65.8 percent in 2023, only six points higher than in 2010, and roughly ten points better than at the turn of the century.



“Data from 815,000 people across 76 countries in our new study shows that we are off track to meet <a href="https://www.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> targets," Bourne said. "Urgent global action is needed to reach the goal of a 40 percent increase in eyeglasses coverage by 2030."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-still-left-behind">Who is still left behind?</h2>



Disparities are stark. In high-income countries about 84 percent of adults over 50 have effective correction, while in sub-Saharan Africa the figure is only 28 percent. Everywhere, women fare worse than men, and coverage declines sharply after age 70.



Sub-Saharan Africa saw 60 percent gains since 2000 but still has the lowest overall coverage. 



The study also revealed a “quality gap.” In some settings, up to three-quarters of glasses wearers still see poorly due to incorrect or outdated prescriptions, while in others the gap is under three percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vision-goal-slipping-away">Vision goal slipping away</h2>



In 2021 <a href="https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Assembly</a> members pledged to lift each nation’s eREC by 40 percentage points (or to universal coverage where baseline levels already exceed 60 percent) by 2030.



However, the new modeling makes clear that the current trajectory of improvement in eREC is insufficient to meet the 2030 target. In fact, no region is close to achieving universal coverage.



“Correction of refractive error is the safest, most efficient, and most economical intervention to improve daily vision quality for the majority of individuals, contributing to reducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poverty-impacts-brain-development-in-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poverty</a> and improvements in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-wellbeing-is-a-more-effective-focus-area-when-discussing-energy-solutions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wellbeing</a>, work productivity, education, and equity,” Bourne said.



If the five-point-per-decade trend continues, even the wealthiest states may struggle to reach full coverage. Low-income countries could remain below 50 percent well past mid-century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-barriers-to-vision-care">Barriers to vision care</h2>



Several factors slow expansion of eye-care services. In many low-resource settings there are simply too few optometrists, opticians, or affordable optical shops.



Surveys using undercover “standardized patients” in Pakistan and Cambodia have also shown that even when glasses are dispensed, quality is often poor. 



Social barriers make the problem worse. Cost, clinic distance, and beliefs that blurred vision is just aging reduce demand, especially for older women.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-vision-with-glasses">Expanding vision with glasses</h2>



The paper highlights national programs that are already bending the curve. France recently began fully reimbursing the cost of spectacles through universal health insurance. Early data show the rate of forgone optical aids dropped from 12 percent to 6 percent after the policy change. 



Pakistan’s 20-year sequence of eyecare action plans has increased glasses use and cut uncorrected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ai-could-protect-millions-of-people-from-vision-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vision loss</a>.



Global initiatives are also gathering pace. The <a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/specs-2030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO “SPECS 2030”</a> campaign, the <a href="https://tccv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coalition for Clear-Vision</a> and the <a href="https://atscalepartnership.org/">ATscale</a> partnership aim to boost training, financing, and supply chains for affordable glasses.



The authors suggest additional measures, including integrating vision screening into primary health and school programs. They recommend task-shifting for basic refraction and using tele-refraction tech to expand access in remote areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vision-success-by-2030">Vision success by 2030</h2>



The study estimates that meeting the 2030 target would require effective vision correction for 400 million more people. 



Most of them would be in Asia and Africa, and need treatment within five years. That means training thousands of eye-care workers, improving lens supply chains, and enacting regulations to ensure quality care.



While the scale is daunting, the payoff is large. Every person who gains clear sight can read, drive, learn, or work more productively. In turn, societies benefit through higher educational attainment, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-traffic-cameras-are-preventing-thousands-of-crashes-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">safer roads</a>, and greater economic output.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-the-way-forward">Seeing the way forward</h2>



Researchers conclude on a note of caution and hope. While we are still off track, the solutions are already in front of us - community screening, high-quality affordable glasses, and a commitment to reach the most marginalized.



Vision loss from uncorrected refractive error is preventable with low-cost glasses. The new analysis provides the clearest picture yet of where help is needed most, and how far the world still has to go before a simple pair of glasses is within everyone’s reach.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00194-9/fulltext">Lancet Global </a><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00194-9/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">H</a><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00194-9/fulltext">ealth</a>.



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Millions of people still lack access to glasses

Millions of people can’t see the board at school, the...

A growing number of scientists and Indigenous people around the world are spotlighting a powerful concept for sustainability: reciprocity between humans and nature.



A new collection of 18 scientific case studies published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.70036">People and Nature</a> presents compelling global evidence that caring, mutual relationships with the natural world are not only possible - they’re already shaping more resilient and balanced communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-human-nature-relationships">Rethinking human-nature relationships</h2>



The international team behind this collection spent over two years studying how societies worldwide practice reciprocity with their environments. The study was led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.uab.cat/web/universitat-autonoma-de-barcelona-1345467954774.html">Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona</a>, the <a href="https://en.ird.fr/">French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development</a>, and the <a href="https://www.uvic.ca/">University of Victoria</a> in Canada.



The result is a hopeful collection challenging extractive growth models and offering real-world, cooperation-based alternatives.



“These wonderful examples of the multiple ways people and nature benefit each other provide hope for the future because they illustrate that there are better paths,” said Natalie Ban, a co-editor of the collection.



Rather than viewing nature as a passive provider of resources, the authors highlight communities that actively give back. They cultivate, protect, and restore their local ecosystems as a form of ethical engagement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-in-harmony-with-nature">Living in harmony with nature</h2>



For many Indigenous and local communities, reciprocity with nature is a core part of their identity and everyday life. These practices arise from direct experience and deep spiritual and cultural ties to the land, often expressed through gratitude, respect, and moral responsibility.



“Many of the articles demonstrate that humans can care for ecosystems in ways that sustain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity</a>,” said co-editor Irene Teixidor-Toneu.



For instance, the collection includes case studies on sustainable palm harvesting in the Ecuadorian Amazon, respectful gathering of abalone along the Northwest Pacific coast of North America. It also highlights <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-sea-ice-makes-it-harder-for-seabirds-to-find-food/">seabird</a> egg collection in Estonia. These practices reflect generations of knowledge passed down about how to use natural resources without depleting them.



In Chilean Patagonia, fishers return discarded fish parts to the sea to nourish seabird populations. In Cameroon, wild foods are gathered not just for individual consumption, but for sharing within the community. These are small acts with large ripple effects, nourishing both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/">ecosystem health </a>and social cohesion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrast-to-capitalist-exploitation">A contrast to capitalist exploitation</h2>



These practices contrast sharply with globalized capitalism, which often promotes one-way resource extraction without giving anything back. By comparison, reciprocity offers a vision of the world where humans are part of nature, not separate from or above it.



“Reciprocity can be a cultural norm for a certain culture, but it can also be the result of accurate observations of the consequences of trespassing ecosystem boundaries,” Teixidor-Toneu said. “People can learn from their immediate actions and change their relation with their environments for more sustainable outcomes rather quickly.”



The researchers emphasize that reciprocity isn’t just about tradition - it’s a dynamic, adaptive way of living that can offer powerful tools for navigating modern environmental crises. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/">pollution</a> escalate, these relationships with nature offer a blueprint for resilience and restoration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-for-bold-change">Time for bold change</h2>



“This Special Feature is a heartfelt compilation of 18 scientific articles from different corners of the world,” said co-editor Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares of <a href="https://www.uab.cat/web/icta-1345819904184.html">ICTA-UAB</a>. “These studies highlight the strong emphasis on cultivating positive, reciprocal, and responsible relationships among humans and their non-human kin.”



The implications are profound. By embracing reciprocity, societies can shift away from short-term gains and toward long-term sustainability. 



This requires rethinking how we relate to nature - not as something to be dominated, but as something to be respected, cared for, and collaborated with.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-way-forward-rooted-in-respect">A way forward rooted in respect</h2>



The collection of case studies reveals that reciprocity is not an abstract ideal - it is already being practiced in diverse ways across continents. These stories illustrate that hope is not lost.



While industrialized societies often struggle to reduce their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-hidden-and-destructive-environmental-impact-of-bitcoin-mining/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental impact</a>, some communities live in close relationship with their surroundings. These communities offer living examples of how mutual care can foster both ecological and social well-being.



By listening to these communities and learning from their ways of life, we can begin to create more just, sustainable futures for all species - human and non-human alike.



As climate-related challenges deepen, reciprocity may be one of the most powerful ideas we have left. It shows that sustainability isn’t just about science and policy. It’s also about values, relationships, and the daily choices we make about nature and how to live on this planet.



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Mutual relationships with nature offer hope for a sustainable future

A growing number of scientists and Indigenous people around the...

For decades, theoretical physicists tossed around the idea that time reflection, also known as "time mirrors," might one day be demonstrated in a real-world experiment. 



This idea seemed too big and wild, yet it kept popping up in serious discussions of quantum mechanics where equations hinted at surprising behavior.



A team led by <a href="https://www.gc.cuny.edu/people/hady-moussa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hady Moussa</a> from the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (<a href="https://asrc.gc.cuny.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CUNY ASRC</a>) in New York City has now confirmed that these mysterious events actually exist.



They pulled off a successful test by changing the properties of a device in a quick, uniform way so that signals reversed direction in time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-time-mirrors">Understanding time mirrors</h2>



This sort of time flip has been described as looking into a mirror and spotting your back instead of your face. It sounds like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sci-fi-inspired-scenarios-illustrate-our-impact-on-earths-water-cycle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">science fiction</a>, but it has a basis in real physics. 



Researchers had predicted for more than 50 years that sudden shifts in a wave’s environment could trigger such reversals.



Time reflections differ from everyday mirror views in one crucial way. Instead of light or sound bouncing back in space, the wave is forced to reverse its flow in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/negative-time-observed-measured-tangible-in-new-quantum-experiments/">time</a>. 



That shift causes the frequency of the wave to change, sparking a chain reaction of interesting phenomena in the system.



In normal reflections, you see an immediate image or hear an echo. A time reflection, on the other hand, makes part of the signal run backward. 



There is no need for any speculation about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">time travel</a>, though, since these effects involve a swift flip in the medium’s physical traits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-mirrors-and-metamaterials">Time mirrors and metamaterials</h2>



To achieve this, the group used an engineered metamaterial designed to control <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-sparks-the-discovery-of-a-new-electromagnetic-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromagnetic wave</a> behavior in unusual ways. Metamaterials allow scientists to manipulate waves far beyond ordinary mirrors or lenses.



By carefully adjusting electronic components on a strip of metal, they introduced a sudden jump that reversed the direction of incoming signals. They filled the strip with electronic switches hooked to capacitor banks. 



That arrangement supplied the necessary burst of energy to force the wave to <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2015.0263" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flip direction</a> in time, an effect that used to be considered nearly impossible with accessible power.



The outcome was a time-reversed copy of the original wave, appearing just as predicted but never before seen with clarity. 



Adjusting the system’s impedance at the right instant was key. Impedance is a measure of how much a structure resists <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-bacteria-breathe-by-creating-electricity/">electric current</a>, and doubling it turned out to be the trick for flipping the wave in time.



By pulling this off in a lab setting, they proved that the energy hurdle can be overcome when conditions are precisely controlled. 



Past attempts had failed because uniform shifts across the entire device were tough to generate, but the new approach surmounted that barrier.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



This achievement signals a leap for people studying wave manipulation. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/time-may-not-just-move-forward-experts-say-it-could-rewind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Time</a> reflections are no longer just hypothetical constructs but events that can be triggered and measured with specialized hardware.



Some enthusiasts see this as a step toward advanced control of signals for communications and computing. 



A wave that can jump to a new frequency and then rewind might open new possibilities for data transmission at different ranges of the spectrum. It could also reshape how certain sensors and imaging systems are designed.



The results also hint at potential ways to explore time boundaries in <a href="https://www.nature.com/subjects/photonic-devices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photonic devices</a>. Future designs could pair multiple time interfaces together, creating “cavities” in time that bounce signals back and forth for unusual interference patterns. 



Such concepts might spark fresh ideas about how to engineer wave behaviors that were once locked in theory.



Others consider these findings a reason to revisit older theories in physics that talk about reversing <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51171-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">processes in time</a>. 



Even though we are not dealing with a flux capacitor, the underlying math could illuminate unanswered questions about the flow of energy in complex materials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-time-mirrors">Next steps for time mirrors</h2>



Physicists worldwide are eager to probe the limits of these time mirrors and see whether larger-scale applications might emerge. 



They would like to push the frequencies higher or adapt the technique to different wave types, such as acoustic or even spin waves.



More experiments are bound to follow, especially since new versions of tunable structures keep appearing. 



Early projects focused on controlling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-sparks-the-discovery-of-a-new-electromagnetic-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromagnetic properties</a> in narrow bands, but broader setups might let signals take on an even wider range of frequencies. 



Some labs are eyeing ways to refine the switching process itself, ensuring the transformation is as uniform and abrupt as possible.



One question involves harnessing time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shape-of-electrons-revealed-first-time-through-big-advance-in-quantum-physics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reversal effects</a> to handle wave interference in a creative manner. Combining two or more interfaces in the right sequence might lead to wave signatures that display patterns never seen before in standard reflection setups.



A few researchers also wonder how these techniques might tie into advanced memory or logic systems. If a wave can trace itself back, that might open a path to novel data storage elements, though making it practical remains a challenging task.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-023-01975-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Physics</a>.



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Physicists confirm the incredible existence of "time mirrors"

For decades, theoretical physicists tossed around the idea that time...

People have long dreamed of seeing beyond the normal spectrum. Many rely on special devices, but a team of researchers has now rolled out a simpler way to detect hidden&nbsp;infrared signals&nbsp;in the environment.



Tian Xue, a neuroscientist at the <a href="https://en.ustc.edu.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Science and Technology of China</a>, led a project that has introduced a non-powered contact lens with embedded nanomaterials.



The lens grants users the ability to perceive certain forms of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-storm-triggered-stunning-auroras-worldwide-october-11-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrared</a> light, which starts around 700 nm and extends well beyond the familiar rainbow spectrum.



Researchers report that this approach opens the door to security and rescue applications, where flickers of invisible beams can become readable codes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contact-lenses-show-infrared-signals">Contact lenses show infrared signals</h2>



These specialized lenses use nanoparticles that transform near-infrared <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europa-clipper-photographed-mars-thermal-infrared-en-route-to-jupiter-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">light</a> into frequencies that our eyes can recognize. 



Users can see a flicker pattern coming from near-infrared beams in real time. They can even catch these signals with their eyes closed, because near-infrared wavelengths slip through the eyelids more easily than visible light.



“It's totally clear cut: without the contact lenses, the subject cannot see anything, but when they put them on, they can clearly see the flickering of the infrared light,” said Xue. 



In tests, researchers tried sending Morse code-like messages by blinking invisible light sources. Participants wearing the lens recognized the blinking pattern.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lens-turns-infrared-into-visible-colors">Lens turns infrared into visible colors</h2>



The lens can be tuned to pick up different slices of the <a href="http://labman.phys.utk.edu/phys222core/modules/m6/the%20em%20spectrum.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromagnetic radiation range</a>. Certain nanoparticles can transform multiple portions of near-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-use-thermal-infrared-vision-to-track-and-bite-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrared</a> into different visible colors. 



By modifying the nanomaterial setup, the wearer perceives distinct color shifts that correspond to separate parts of the infrared spectrum.



Researchers showed how wavelengths near 980 nm shift to a blue hue, while 808 nm signals turn to green. At the higher end, around 1,532 nm, some nanoparticles shift that energy to a reddish shade. 



This strategy could also help people with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9565472/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">color blind</a> conditions detect wavelengths that ordinarily remain out of reach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-these-lenses-help-in-security-missions">How these lenses help in security missions</h2>



The ability to detect infrared signals without bulky gear could change how soldiers operate in dark or obscured environments. 



Instead of night vision goggles that rely on external power and give away a soldier’s position with reflections or heat, these lenses offer a more subtle and passive way to scan for threats or signals.



Surveillance teams could also use this tech to identify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-space-station-observes-something-unknown-55-miles-above-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrared</a>-tagged objects or locations discreetly. Since the contact lenses are transparent and lightweight, they allow the user to operate hands-free while maintaining full awareness of both visible and infrared surroundings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-applications-and-testing">Applications and testing</h2>



Trials began with mice to make sure the lens itself was safe and functional. Results showed normal eye health in animals wearing the contact film. 



Mice displayed behavioral signs of detecting near-infrared beams, choosing darker boxes when offered a space lit with infrared. Later, human volunteers tried the same concept, showing they could detect patterns of infrared light.



Scientists also built a set of wearable glasses that rely on the same nanotechnologies. The glasses improve image clarity and detail, thanks to a bit more distance between the nanomaterial and the retina. 



This approach avoids scattering of converted light and might open up further uses in imaging or medical screenings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-uses-of-infrared-signal-lenses">Future uses of infrared signal lenses</h2>



In addition to rescue missions or security codes, this concept might help in poor lighting scenarios where standard vision struggles. 



Infrared has long been used in night-vision devices, but these contact lenses do not need bulky external batteries or complex headsets. They draw power from the incoming infrared itself, thanks to the special upconversion process.



One focus is boosting sensitivity so these nanoparticles can detect weaker signals in dimmer settings. The ultimate goal is to fine-tune the resolution, allowing sharper images without losing the hands-free portability. 



Designers hope to combine the ease of regular contact lenses with the extended range of advanced optical systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lens-could-help-in-health-checks">The lens could help in health checks</h2>



Researchers suggest that these lenses could eventually help doctors spot subtle heat changes linked to inflammation, poor blood flow, or even early-stage tumors. 



Since near-infrared light interacts with tissue in ways visible light cannot, this opens up new possibilities for non-invasive screening during routine checkups or emergency care.



Dentists and surgeons might also benefit from real-time thermal feedback during procedures. Being able to “see” through tissue with color-coded signals could improve accuracy and reduce the need for heavy imaging machines in certain clinical settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-the-infrared-signal-lens">Future of the infrared signal lens</h2>



A key step is confirming biocompatibility and stability for everyday use. The soft polymer base needs to stay comfortable on the eye while handling the embedded nanomaterials. Early results show no toxicity issues, but continued follow-up will confirm safety over longer periods.



Researchers believe that as the technology matures, it might pair with color enhancements for those missing certain photo pigments. 



A future version of this lens could transform visible red light into green, widening the range that color-blind individuals can see. The team aims to refine production methods and push forward with clinical-grade testing.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867425004544" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell</a>.



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New contact lens lets humans see hidden infrared signals

People have long dreamed of seeing beyond the normal spectrum....

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already impressing scientists with its ability to forecast the weather days in advance. These new models can run faster and use far less computing power than traditional weather systems. 



But there's a catch: AI can only predict what it's seen before. And when it comes to extreme weather, that's a serious problem.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Chicago</a>, New York University, and the University of California Santa Cruz set out to explore this issue. 



The study shows that while AI can do a great job with typical day-to-day forecasting, it struggles with rare or unprecedented events. These include things like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-causes-the-rapid-intensification-of-hurricanes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Category 5 hurricanes</a>, once-in-a-century floods, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-are-intense-heat-waves-affecting-life-in-antarctica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat waves</a> that break all historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clever-models-with-clear-limits">Clever models with clear limits</h2>



AI models like ChatGPT learn from massive amounts of data. Weather-focused neural networks work the same way. Scientists feed them decades of past weather observations. Based on that, the models learn to predict what might happen next.



When you give these models the latest weather data, they can quickly generate forecasts that rival the accuracy of traditional supercomputer models. But the problem comes when something totally unexpected happens.



Pedram Hassanzadeh is an associate professor of geophysical sciences at UChicago and a corresponding author of the study.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-prediction-model-is-a-major-breakthrough-in-weather-forecasting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI weather models</a> are one of the biggest achievements in AI in science. What we found is that they are remarkable, but not magical,” said Hassanzadeh. "We’ve only had these models for a few years, so there’s a lot of room for innovation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-underestimates-dangerous-weather">AI underestimates dangerous weather</h2>



The concern is this: if a dangerous weather event hasn’t happened in the training data, will the AI model still catch it?



The researchers tested this by training an AI model with weather data that excluded all hurricanes above Category 2 strength. Then they asked the model to forecast a scenario that would typically lead to a Category 5 hurricane. The result?



“It always underestimated the event. The model knows something is coming, but it always predicts it’ll only be a Category 2 hurricane,” said Yongqiang Sun, research scientist at UChicago and co-author of the study.



This kind of error is called a false negative. In weather <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-era-in-forecasting-ai-will-improve-extreme-weather-warnings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forecasting</a>, it can be deadly. Overestimating a storm might cause an unnecessary evacuation, which is costly but not dangerous. Underestimating it, however, can leave people unprepared for disaster.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-remembers-extreme-weather">AI remembers extreme weather </h2>



Traditional weather models use equations that describe how the atmosphere works. They include physics, math, and knowledge of how heat, pressure, and wind interact. 



Neural networks don’t do this. They’re more like fancy autocomplete tools - offering predictions based only on what they’ve seen before. This difference matters. It means AI models might miss events that fall outside their training history. 



Scientists are beginning to use AI to explore long-term risks and future climate scenarios. But if AI can’t forecast extremes, its usefulness for those tasks becomes limited.



Still, there’s hope. The researchers found that if the model had seen a similar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-tens-of-millions-of-people-love-watching-videos-of-extreme-weather-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme event</a> - even in a different part of the world - it could make better predictions. For instance, if the AI never saw an Atlantic hurricane but had seen strong Pacific hurricanes, it could still forecast powerful Atlantic storms.



“This was a surprising and encouraging finding: it means that the models can forecast an event that was unpresented in one region but occurred once in a while in another region,” Hassanzadeh said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-combining-ai-with-classic-tools">Combining AI with classic tools</h2>



So what’s the solution? The researchers believe that blending traditional physics with AI is the next step.



“The hope is that if AI models can really learn atmospheric dynamics, they will be able to figure out how to forecast gray swans,” Hassanzadeh said.



To make that happen, scientists are exploring new techniques. One of them is called active learning. In this approach, AI models help guide physics-based simulations to create more examples of rare events. These examples can then be used to improve the AI's accuracy.



Study co-author Jonathan Weare is a professor at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University.



“Longer simulated or observed datasets aren't going to work. We need to think about smarter ways to generate data,” said Weare.



“In this case, that means answering the question 'where should I place my training data to achieve better performance on extremes?' Fortunately, we think AI weather models themselves, when paired with the right mathematical tools, can help answer this question.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-ai-weather-forecasting">The future of AI weather forecasting</h2>



As AI becomes a bigger part of how we forecast and prepare for extreme weather, knowing its limits is key. 



The technology is improving fast. But until it can truly grasp the physics of our atmosphere, it won’t be able to predict everything. 



That’s not a reason to give up on AI forecasts - it's just motivation to make them even better.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2420914122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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AI can predict the weather - but what about extreme events?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already impressing scientists with its ability...

Marine protected areas in Brazil are often viewed as safe havens for biodiversity. But even the strictest of these zones aren't free from pollution. 



A new study shows that microplastics are turning up in these supposedly untouched waters, raising concerns about the true extent of environmental protection.



The research was carried out by scientists from the <a href="https://observatorioimar.unifesp.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of São Paulo</a> (UNIFESP) in collaboration with Australian colleagues. 



The team examined ten marine protected areas (MPAs) categorized under the highest level of restriction, known as “integral protection areas.” These places prohibit all forms of human activity, including tourism. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remote-waters-are-affected">Remote waters are affected</h2>



To measure the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-are-accumulating-in-nearly-every-habitat-of-galapagos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">level of pollution</a>, researchers used bivalve mollusks such as oysters and mussels. These creatures filter seawater to feed and naturally collect any contaminants in their tissues. That makes them ideal for monitoring long-term pollution trends in the ocean.



Ítalo Braga is the coordinator of the research funded by FAPESP and professor at the Institute of Marine Science of the Federal University of São Paulo (IMar-UNIFESP) in Brazil.



“Our study showed that microplastic contamination occurs even in the most restrictive environmental protection areas. For example, in Atol das Rocas, where there’s no economic activity and tourists aren’t allowed to visit. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a> can reach places like this by being carried by the wind or ocean currents,” said Braga.



These findings are alarming because they confirm that pollution can infiltrate even areas that are theoretically shielded from human interference. Plastic particles don’t respect borders. They travel freely on air and ocean currents, spreading their impact across vast distances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-invading-protected-areas">Microplastics invading protected areas </h2>



The microplastics discovered in these marine areas were mostly smaller than 1 millimeter and appeared in shades of black, white, or transparent. Chemical analysis identified 59.4% of the particles. 



The most common materials included alkyd polymers (28.1%), typically used in paints and varnishes and likely originating from boats or marine equipment. 



Cellulose made up 21% and was traced to both natural sources, such as algae and marine plants, and human-made materials like paper waste. 



Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is commonly found in synthetic fabrics and plastic packaging, accounted for 14% of the identified microplastics. Another 12.3% consisted of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon), often used in non-stick and industrial coatings. 



The remaining 40.6% of the particles could not be identified, underscoring the complex and varied nature of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-plastic-pollution-has-become-a-global-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine plastic pollution</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-found-in-every-protected-area">Microplastics found in every protected area </h2>



The team studied ten sites across Brazil: Jericoacoara National Park, Atol das Rocas, Fernando de Noronha, Rio dos Frades, Abrolhos, Tamoios, Alcatrazes, Guaraqueçaba, Carijós, and Arvoredo. All showed signs of contamination.



“Along the Brazilian coast, there are several protected areas with different levels of management. National parks, such as Abrolhos and Fernando de Noronha, are highly protected, while others, such as some APAs [environmental protection areas], allow some degree of human intervention," said Braga.



"Our study focused on integral protection areas, called ‘no-takes’ in the specialized international literature, which are more restrictive marine protected areas. We selected ten of them."



Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge had the highest contamination, with 0.90 ± 0.59 particles per gram of wet tissue. Atol das Rocas Biological Reserve had the lowest, with 0.23 particles per gram. Across all sites, the average was 0.42 ± 0.34 particles per gram.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-than-average-but-still-concerning">Better than average - but still concerning</h2>



In some ways, the results were encouraging. The contamination levels were below the international average for marine protected areas. They were also far lower than the levels found in unprotected Brazilian coastal zones.



“The positive thing is that pollution in all these areas is below the international average for marine protected areas. And well below the Brazilian average for non-protected areas," noted doctoral student Beatriz Zachello Nunes. 



"Heavily contaminated areas, such as Santos and some beaches in Rio de Janeiro, are 50 to 60 times more polluted. In fact, Santos has one of the highest concentrations of microplastics in the world."



Even so, the findings suggest that pollution is now a truly global problem. Local restrictions are not enough if foreign sources continue to push contaminants into protected zones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-bivalves-matter">Why bivalves matter</h2>



The use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bivalve-mollusks-may-hold-the-secrets-of-longevity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bivalves</a> was key to this study. These animals serve as nature’s filters. Because they remain in place and continually filter the same waters, they offer a clearer picture of what’s happening over time.



“Bivalve mollusks (oysters, clams, mussels and others) feed by filtering seawater. The food in the water is retained in their gills, which act as sieves. And tiny cilia carry it to their stomachs. If that water contains contaminants, such as microplastics, the bivalves will retain them as well," explained Braga.



"So instead of taking water samples, which vary all the time, we analyze the bivalves because they accumulate pollutants over time and provide a more reliable history of contamination."



This approach avoids the fluctuations that come with direct water sampling and offers a more accurate view of long-term pollution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protected-areas-need-support">Protected areas need support</h2>



The results serve as a warning. Marine protected areas are no longer safe from microplastics. More effort is needed to enforce rules, manage these areas effectively, and - crucially - reduce pollution at the source.



“The creation of MPAs alone isn’t enough to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-production-must-be-phased-out-to-stop-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stop pollution</a>. It’s essential that these areas have efficient environmental management and strict enforcement. But even this isn’t enough if we consider that the microplastics may not be generated locally, but brought in from afar by the atmosphere and ocean currents," said Braga.



"To mitigate this, only global measures, such as the Global Plastics Treaty currently being negotiated and developed under the coordination of the United Nations Environment Program [UNEP], can make a difference."



Efforts at the international level may be the only way to protect even the most isolated marine ecosystems from invisible but dangerous plastic pollution.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0013935125004827">Environmental Research</a>.



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Microplastics are now invading fully protected marine areas

Marine protected areas in Brazil are often viewed as safe...

Living organisms have always been a source of fascination. Recent work has suggested that all living things give off a subtle glow during life and that this disappears with death.



These findings come from a team of researchers led by Dr. Daniel Oblak at the <a href="https://www.ucalgary.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Calgary</a>. The experts investigated a phenomenon known as ultraweak photon emission.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-organisms-emit-a-faint-glow">Living organisms emit a faint glow</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Life</a> involves constant chemical activity inside each cell. Sometimes, these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10634501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolic processes</a> release extremely low-intensity light in the spectral range of 200 to 1,000 nm. 



This is too faint for the naked eye to see, but many animals, plants, and even bacteria give off this gentle energy.



Experts studying this glow see potential in measuring it for non-invasive tests. By tracking light changes, they can learn how organisms respond to challenges such as heat or chemicals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-emission-reveals-cellular-health">Light emission reveals cellular health</h2>



The researchers discovered that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/luca-last-universal-common-ancestor-progenitor-all-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">living</a> animals show higher emissions than animals that have recently died. They used specialized imaging setups to capture the photons in a pitch-black space. 



These setups included electronic sensors that detect light at the single-photon level.



A rise or drop in glow intensity might hint at shifts in cellular health. Scientists believe <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/reactive-oxygen-species" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reactive oxygen species</a> are a key factor in generating the light. These molecules form naturally in cells as they process oxygen, but they can build up under stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-respond-to-stress-with-light">Plants respond to stress with light</h2>



In botanical studies, experts have observed that plants alter their glow after temperature changes or physical injury. 



Burns or cuts induce a measurable spike in the faint light. Research has also indicated that certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-k2-18b-strongest-evidence-yet-of-extraterrestrial-life-discovered-webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemicals</a> cause the injured spots to intensify their emissions.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11035250/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxidative stress</a> seems to accompany these brightening effects. Under normal conditions, cells keep a balanced environment. 



When that balance is lost, however, the glow appears to increase, offering a handy way to gauge how a plant is coping.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-disease-through-living-glow">Detecting disease through living glow</h2>



Scientists have been exploring whether this emission can serve as a biological gauge. Some suspect it could help detect early signs of disease. 



A surge in low-intensity light might pinpoint internal damage before more serious outcomes develop.



Researchers have also looked at plant-based healing or protective strategies. If the glow diminishes after a treatment, that may suggest a recovery in the tissues. This opens new avenues for studying plant physiology without inflicting harm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-it-matters-for-medicine">Why it matters for medicine</h2>



The potential for non-invasive testing is of great interest to clinical science. Experts foresee scenarios where measuring these emissions could aid in monitoring tissue recovery or spotting damage.



The method offers a gentle approach. No extra dyes or radioactive substances are needed. If perfected, it could simplify certain diagnostic tasks by highlighting subtle changes in cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-glow-to-find-life-beyond-earth">Using glow to find life beyond Earth</h2>



Some scientists are asking whether ultraweak photon emission could help in the search for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/detecting-life-on-mars-a-breakthrough-in-space-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extraterrestrial life</a>. 



If all living systems emit faint light, then detecting these emissions on other planets, or in enclosed ecosystems like Mars habitats, might serve as a low-risk method for life detection.



It also sparks new ideas in science fiction and future tech. If bodies truly glow when alive and stop glowing when dead, visual tools might someday be built to “see” vitality itself, offering a new way to tell whether something is alive, under stress, or dying.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-applications-of-the-living-glow">Applications of the living glow</h2>



Scholars have been investigating ways to enhance sensitivity to this weak light. Some advanced cameras can capture more detail by lowering background noise. 



Other experts are testing portable systems that might track changes in real time, allowing for field studies that document plant health or monitor animals in outdoor settings.



Though still in early stages, the technology points toward a future where farmers, veterinarians, or wildlife experts might benefit from such tools. They could respond quickly to unseen stresses and intervene before problems get out of hand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-glow-patterns">Future research on glow patterns</h2>



Future directions include mapping each type of organism’s signature light pattern. Different species may have distinct behaviors under stress. 



By collecting more data, experts aim to understand how quickly these emissions change and whether they can predict outcomes for sick or damaged tissue.



Researchers also plan to study a broader range of organisms to see if there are exceptions or special cases. These efforts might reveal unique biological adaptations in creatures that live in extreme habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-about-glow-in-living-organisms">Questions about glow in living organisms</h2>



Researchers still don’t fully understand the biological purpose of this faint light. Is it just a byproduct of stress and metabolism, or does it serve a deeper function in communication or defense within cells?



There’s also uncertainty about how consistent the glow is across different species or life stages. Do younger or older organisms emit more light? Can emotions or circadian rhythms influence emission levels in humans?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faint-light-and-health-diagnostics">Faint light and health diagnostics</h2>



The science behind this faint glow is still growing. The discovery of its link to life signals an intriguing frontier that blends physics, biochemistry, and environmental research. As sensors become more refined, further breakthroughs seem likely.



Although the light is faint, it might hold an abundance of clues. This once-overlooked signal could help diagnose diseases or track how organisms cope under challenging conditions.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c03546" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters</a>.



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All living things emit a subtle glow that ceases at the time of death

Living organisms have always been a source of fascination. Recent...

Our bodies are finely tuned to time. From sleep patterns to hormone levels, internal clocks influenced by light regulate every cell. Now, scientists at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, have found that our immune system also tells time and works better during the daylight hours.



The study reveals that neutrophils - our most common white blood cells - have their own internal clock. This clock listens to daylight and responds by boosting immune strength. The work builds on previous findings but goes further to decode the genetic machinery linking light to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-lockdowns-weakened-our-immune-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immunity</a>.



The implications are wide. From shift workers to those with chronic inflammation, this research could change how and when we treat infections. 



The discovery was led by Professor Christopher Hall, along with researchers from the <a href="https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Auckland</a>. The findings add new depth to the fast-growing field of chronobiology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-the-immune-clock">Discovering the immune clock</h2>



To explore how light affects immunity, the scientists turned to zebrafish. These small freshwater fish share a surprising amount of genetic similarity with humans. 



More importantly, their transparent bodies allow researchers to observe immune cells live, under a microscope, without needing surgery or dyes.



“In earlier studies, we had observed that immune <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-deadly-molds-attack-the-immune-system-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">responses</a> peaked in the morning, during the fish’s early active phase,” said Hall. “We think this represents an evolutionary response such that during daylight hours the host is more active so more likely to encounter bacterial infections.”



Zebrafish became the perfect test subjects. Infections were introduced, light conditions were altered, and the activity of neutrophils - the first responders of our immune system - was tracked minute by minute. 



The results clearly showed that these cells were more aggressive and efficient during the day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-cells-have-clocks">Immune cells have clocks </h2>



As it turns out, neutrophils do not simply respond passively to external cues. They contain their own circadian clock, driven by a core gene called&nbsp;per2. This gene senses daylight and activates a bacterial killing program inside the cell.



When the scientists removed or deactivated&nbsp;per2&nbsp;in zebrafish, the immune <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reprogramming-the-immune-system-to-attack-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">response</a> weakened. Even during the day, neutrophils in these mutants failed to control infections as effectively. Bacterial survival rates increased, and inflammation worsened.



Further investigation showed that when light was restored, per2 became active again. Its presence resulted in better bacterial clearance and stronger neutrophil behavior. 



The day-night cycle, therefore, was not just setting the rhythm of sleep or alertness, but directly influencing immune strength at the cellular level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daylight-genes-help-immune-cells">Daylight genes help immune cells</h2>



But&nbsp;per2&nbsp;was only part of the picture. The real killing power of neutrophils comes from reactive oxygen species (ROS). These toxic molecules are used to break down invading bacteria. And the production of ROS relies on another gene:&nbsp;hmgb1a.



The researchers discovered that when per2 is active, it triggers higher expression of hmgb1a. This leads to greater ROS production and improved bacterial killing. When either <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperatures-impact-the-immune-system-of-wild-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene</a> is disrupted, neutrophils lose this power.



In fact, overexpressing per2 or hmgb1a rescued the immune response even in fish kept in constant darkness. 



This showed that the pathway could be activated genetically, independent of light, and offered possible targets for future drug development. The system was robust, precise, and deeply tied to environmental light cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daylight-helps-immune-cells-fight">Daylight helps immune cells fight </h2>



While&nbsp;per2&nbsp;acted as the accelerator, another protein, Cry1a, functioned as a brake. Cry1a is known to repress the activity of the circadian clock. In the immune system, this repression turns into a reduction in neutrophil efficiency.



Mice and zebrafish with inactive Cry1a fought off infections more effectively. The absence of Cry1a allowed&nbsp;per2&nbsp;and&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;to remain active longer, maintaining high ROS levels. This discovery led to a deeper understanding of how balance is maintained in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/computer-model-can-identify-tumor-fighting-immune-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immune</a> timing.



To test these findings further, the team created zebrafish mutants that lacked both per2 and Cry1a. The double mutants behaved like the Cry1a-only mutants. In other words, per2 normally works by blocking Cry1a’s suppression of immune activity. 



The results show that, in this battle of clock proteins, light tips the scale in favor of the immune system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-presence-of-light-activated-proteins">Presence of light-activated proteins</h2>



The final layer of this mechanism lies in gene regulation. Neutrophils use a DNA region called CNS4 to turn on&nbsp;hmgb1a. This region includes docking points for two important proteins: BMAL1 and NF-κB. These proteins act like keys, unlocking&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;only when the timing is right.



In the presence of light, BMAL1 binds strongly to CNS4. This primes the cell for infection response, making it more effective at producing ROS. If the CNS4 region is deleted or BMAL1 is blocked, neutrophils lose this ability. Their response weakens, and&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;levels fall.



This region of DNA is highly conserved across vertebrates - from fish to birds to mammals. That suggests this light-controlled immune pathway is not just a zebrafish feature. 



It is a shared biological strategy, built through millions of years of evolution, to fight bacteria more effectively during times of activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-human-health">Implications for human health</h2>



“Given that neutrophils are the first immune cells to be recruited to sites of inflammation, our discovery has very broad implications for therapeutic benefit in many inflammatory diseases,” said Hall.



This knowledge might change how we treat infections. For example, drugs that target the circadian machinery of neutrophils could help those with compromised immune systems. Such treatments could be timed with daylight exposure to maximize their effect.



People working night shifts or suffering from jet lag might also benefit. Their disrupted light cycles could be weakening immune responses. Light-based therapies, or drugs that mimic&nbsp;per2&nbsp;activation, might restore balance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-how-we-fight-infections">Improving how we fight infections</h2>



“This finding paves the way for development of drugs that target the circadian clock in neutrophils to boost their ability to fight infections,” noted Hall.



The research was supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Marsden Fund. Though done in zebrafish, the genetic pathways discovered - per2, Cry1a,&nbsp;hmgb1a, and CNS4 - are present in humans too.



Ongoing work now aims to unravel how light fine-tunes these molecular switches in more detail. By understanding the clockwork inside each neutrophil, scientists are moving closer to tailoring immunity by the hour. 



In the future, fighting infections might be as simple as switching on the lights - at just the right time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.adn3080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Immunology</a>.



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Daylight boosts the immune system's ability to fight infections

Our bodies are finely tuned to time. From sleep patterns...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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.

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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...

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