<p>Wildfires in the western U.S. have become a growing crisis. They’re lasting longer, burning hotter, and spreading into areas that rarely burned in the past. </p>



<p>But another danger is rising, beyond heatwaves and droughts. Lightning - sudden, fierce, and incredibly powerful - is becoming one of the biggest wildfire risks.</p>



<p>In the coming decades, scientists warn that lightning will become an increasingly dominant spark for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">wildfires</a>, adding to the already mounting risks across the West.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-is-fueling-more-wildfires">Lightning is fueling more wildfires</h2>



<p>Wildfires need a few things to get going: dry fuel, hot temperatures, low humidity, and a spark. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-is-changing-the-atmosphere-in-surprising-ways/">Lightning</a> is one of the most powerful natural igniters.</p>



<p>In the western U.S., lightning already causes more than two-thirds of the area burned by wildfires. And now, new research shows that number is going to rise sharply due to climate change. </p>



<p>Warmer air holds more moisture, which means more unstable weather patterns. Those patterns, in turn, set the stage for more lightning.</p>



<p>A recent study has revealed that virtually all of the western U.S. - 98 percent of the region - will have more days with a greater likelihood of lightning-ignited wildfires starting as early as the 2030s. </p>



<p>For regions already accustomed to such fires, such as Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, the risk is even greater. As early as 2060, those states may have as many as 12 additional lightning-filled days per summer.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-model-to-forecast-lightning">A model to forecast lightning</h2>



<p>Traditional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-underestimate-sea-ice-melt-and-global-warming/">climate models</a> don’t really track lightning. That’s why a team of researchers led by Dmitri Kalashnikov built their own system to fill in the gaps.</p>



<p>“The first step was to project lightning,” said Kalashnikov, a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.ucmerced.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California Merced</a>. “The typical climate models don’t directly simulate lightning. It’s too small a process.”</p>



<p>The researchers applied machine learning to forecast where lightning would hit based on variables that we can quantify - such as temperature, humidity, and the level of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moisture-in-the-atmosphere-causes-extreme-weather-to-last-longer/">moisture in the air</a>. </p>



<p>The team merged those results with the Fire Weather Index (FWI), a mechanism that was developed back in 1968 to monitor how probable wildfire initiation and spread is from local weather.</p>



<p>The result is a forecast model tailored to the western U.S., designed to project conditions from 2030 to 2060 - decades earlier than most studies, which typically look only to the end of the century.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-lightning-in-the-northwest">More lightning in the Northwest</h2>



<p>The northwestern states of Idaho, Oregon, and Montana are projected to experience the greatest growth in lightning days. But strangely, they may not experience the most rapid expansion in wildfires. </p>



<p>Although lightning will grow, the conditions favoring fires (such as extreme heat or dryness) are not expected to worsen as quickly in the Northwest compared to other regions.</p>



<p>That doesn’t mean northwestern states are off the hook. Cloud-to-ground lightning, the kind that hits trees or grass directly, is still expected to rise significantly in those areas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-lightning-greater-wildfire-risk">Less lightning, greater wildfire risk</h2>



<p>In contrast, the Southwest - including Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico - won’t see as much of a jump in lightning strikes. But the fire risk will still climb. </p>



<p>This is because even a small spark becomes a big threat when the land is extra dry, the heat is intense, and there’s little rain to cool things off.</p>



<p>The researchers found that these southern states are likely to experience the biggest increases in wildfires caused by lightning, despite the smaller bump in lightning activity. That’s because climate change is pushing up the number of fire-prone days overall.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dry-and-wet-lightning">Dry and wet lightning</h2>



<p>Kalashnikov said the next steps could involve separating the kinds of lightning events. “You can’t help but wonder what the future will look like, especially if you dig in and you realize that there’s actually a lot that we don’t understand,” he said.</p>



<p>One key factor will be figuring out how to distinguish between "dry lightning" and "wet lightning." Dry lightning happens without much rain, making it a fire hazard. </p>



<p>Wet lightning brings <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-rainfall-poses-extreme-risks-in-the-western-us/">heavy rain</a>, which can reduce fire risk but increase flood danger. Understanding that difference could help emergency services respond more precisely to fire threats.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-risks-are-rising-fast">Wildfire risks are rising fast</h2>



<p>As climate patterns shift, the West isn’t just getting warmer and drier - it’s getting stormier in a dangerous way. Lightning is expected to spark more fires, and fires are expected to find more dry fuel waiting. It’s a feedback loop that could reshape fire seasons in the U.S.</p>



<p>This isn’t about something that might happen a hundred years from now. The changes are coming within the next few decades - some may already be happening. </p>



<p>And for the people living in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/double-hazard-wildfire-zones-identified-in-the-american-west/">high-risk areas</a>, that means more heat, more smoke, and a greater need for preparation.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025EF006108" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a></em>.</p>



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Lightning will ignite even more wildfires as the climate heats up

Wildfires in the western U.S. have become a growing crisis. They’re lasting longer, burning hotter, and spreading into areas that rarely burned in the past. But another danger is rising, beyond heatwaves and droughts. Lightning - sudden, fierce, and incredibly powerful - is becoming one of the biggest wildfire risks. In the coming decades, scientists warn that lightning will become an increasingly dominant spark for wildfires, adding to the already mounting risks across the West. Lightning is fueling more wildfires Wildfires need a few things to get...

<p>In the rainforests of Costa Rica, a unique habitat forms high up in the trees. These "canopy soils" are an often overlooked aspect of forest ecology.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A new study from <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> and <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> not only exposes the wealth of biodiversity contained in canopy soils but also emphasizes their vulnerability in the face of climate change and deforestation.</p>



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



<p>Canopy soils are essentially pockets of soil that accumulate along tree branches, creating a thriving ecosystem for various plant and animal species. But understanding how these soils form and the kind of biodiversity they nurture has been a challenge for ecologists.</p>



<p>"We found canopy soils most often form in cool, foggy areas in these tropical forests where there are large, old trees," said study first author Jessica Murray. "Unfortunately, this describes some of the most at-risk forest types, which are threatened by changing climate and deforestation.”</p>



<p>The significance of these findings is further emphasized by Dr. Bonnie Waring, Murray's PhD supervisor at Imperial.</p>



<p>“Canopy soils in tropical cloud forests are rich in life and nutrients and could be large carbon stores. The fact it’s taken until now to even start to recognise their importance is amazing – not least because we may be destroying them faster than we can study them," said Dr. Waring.</p>



<h2 id="h-a-world-above-our-heads">A world above our heads</h2>



<p>Murray climbed trees across six primary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-animals-will-suffer-as-the-rainforest-turns-into-savanna/">rainforest</a> sites in Costa Rica, including some of the last continuous swaths of primary rainforest in South America.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These varied landscapes, with altitudes spanning from 67 to 2,700 meters above sea level and temperatures ranging between 10-24 ◦C, offered diverse conditions ranging from varying rainfall patterns to dense fog.</p>



<p>Scaling trees as tall as 30 meters, Murray discovered that each soil mat - a combination of soil, moss, and plants - was a distinct microhabitat, akin to “its own little forest."</p>



<p>Within these mats, a thriving community of plants and animals existed. Birds fed on abundant invertebrates. Epiphytes, which are plants that grow on other plants, flourished due to the nitrogen-rich environment created by mosses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Interestingly, trees themselves appeared to be aware of this nutrient abundance, as evidenced by roots growing into the canopy soils to extract their share of nourishment.</p>



<h2 id="h-a-fragile-balance">A fragile balance</h2>



<p>The research indicates that the most abundant canopy soils are found in higher, cooler zones with a consistent fog presence and elder trees. The longevity of these soils remains uncertain, but estimates suggest that some might take over a century to fully mature, making their potential loss even more devastating.</p>



<p>With rising global temperatures, these cloud forests are experiencing shifting fog levels, potentially leading to the demise of many canopy soils. The towering trees that currently support them might soon be inadequate.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Adding to the issue, significant portions of these forests face the impacts of deforestation. And in areas where recovery efforts are underway, the time might still be insufficient for the full restoration of these mature canopy soils.</p>



<p>“Determining the contribution of canopy soils to forest carbon budgets is important for assessing their role in mitigating climate change," said Murray.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"It could also be an important marker for recovery: if these soils are crucial for the forest to be an optimum carbon sink, then their formation should be a final marker of a truly recovered forest.”</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Dr. Waring noted that the research demonstrates the value of intact forest ecosystems: restoration of logged forests is important, but some features can’t be put back. "We need some policies that focus on preserving landscapes that are ecologically diverse and carbon-rich.”</p>



<p>In an era where forest conservation is increasingly urgent, these findings shed light on an overlooked aspect of forest ecology and underscore the fragile nature of the relationships within these habitats.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116609"><em>Geoderma</em></a>.</p>



<p><em>—--</em></p>



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High in the treetops, canopy soils protect the forest below

In the rainforests of Costa Rica, a unique habitat forms...

<p>Deep in Ecuador's Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, researchers used an extendable pole equipped with a tiny camera to explore the world of cavity-nesting birds. This is a world threatened by rapid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-the-far-reaching-climate-impacts-of-deforestation/">deforestation</a> and agricultural expansion.</p>



<p>Dr. Alison Ke, a <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> graduate, led an investigation into the impacts of rainforest-to-farmland conversion on birds that depend on tree holes for nesting.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Working with local scientists, community members, and the Ecuadorian NGO, Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales, Dr. Ke's team conducted bird surveys, studying natural tree cavities present in both forest and agricultural landscapes.</p>



<p>Over nearly three years, from September 2019 to June 2022, the team erected 100 nest boxes, splitting them evenly between forested and pasture areas. These boxes received nearly 11,000 visits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"We’d stick the camera in, and we’d never know what to expect," said Dr. Ke. "Every time it was something new; it was very exciting. And when eggs appeared but we didn’t know what species it was, it was like a mystery we got to solve.”</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/btp.13252"><em>Biotropica</em></a>, their findings were both enlightening and alarming. Deforestation wasn't just depriving birds of their homes - it was impacting their reproductive capacity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“When humans cut down forests for farming, it destroys their nesting habitat,” explained Dr. Ke. "There are some species that might just disappear if we cut down the forest. It's extremely important to study the effects of agriculture on wildlife.”</p>



<p>While these birds frequented tropical pastures, they often struggled to find adequate nesting resources, which ultimately hindered their reproduction.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The study revealed that eight species of cavity-nesting birds, including the house wren, dusky-capped flycatcher, and the Pacific parrotlet, were more abundant in agricultural settings. By contrast, the collared aracari, a toucan variant, was predominantly found in forests, likely drawn by specific food sources.</p>



<p>Daniel Karp, associate professor at UC Davis and the senior author of the study, emphasized the potential of leaving sporadic trees and integrating nest boxes into tropical agricultural terrains. Such interventions could be dual-purposed, benefiting both avian life and the farming community.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Our work shows that pastures often eliminate critical nesting habitat for tropical birds. However, by retaining trees in pastures and installing nest boxes, ranchers can provide crucial nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds, many of which might even benefit the farmers themselves by eating pest insects," said Professor Karp.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-cavity-nesting-birds">More about cavity-nesting birds</h2>



<p>Cavity-nesting birds are a diverse group of avian species that have evolved to nest within natural or excavated hollows, primarily in trees but also in other structures such as cliffs, ground burrows, or man-made structures. These unique nesting preferences provide these birds with protection from predators and environmental factors.</p>



<h3 id="h-characteristics-and-types">Characteristics and types</h3>



<h4 id="h-natural-cavities">Natural cavities</h4>



<p>Many birds use natural cavities, like those created by decay or broken branches in trees.</p>



<h4 id="h-excavators">Excavators</h4>



<p>Some birds, like woodpeckers, have the ability to chisel out their own nesting chambers in the soft or rotting wood of trees. Once they're done using them, other birds might occupy these abandoned holes.</p>



<h4 id="h-secondary-nesters">Secondary nesters</h4>



<p>These birds utilize cavities that are naturally present or those abandoned by excavators. Examples include bluebirds, some owls, and chickadees.</p>



<h3 id="h-notable-cavity-nesters">Notable cavity-nesters</h3>



<h4 id="h-woodpeckers">Woodpeckers</h4>



<p>Known for their strong bills and unique drumming, they excavate cavities in trees to lay their eggs.</p>



<h4 id="h-owls">Owls</h4>



<p>Species like the Eastern Screech Owl or the Western Screech Owl often nest in tree cavities.</p>



<h4 id="h-parrots">Parrots</h4>



<p>Many parrot species, including the Pacific parrotlet mentioned earlier, use tree cavities for nesting.</p>



<h4 id="h-bluebirds">Bluebirds</h4>



<p>They're secondary nesters and often occupy old woodpecker holes or natural cavities.</p>



<h4 id="h-swallows">Swallows</h4>



<p>Some species, such as the Bank Swallow, dig burrows in sandy banks or cliffs.</p>



<h3 id="h-benefits-of-cavity-nesting">Benefits of cavity-nesting</h3>



<h4 id="h-protection">Protection</h4>



<p>Cavities provide protection from many predators, as the confined space makes it challenging for larger animals to access.</p>



<h4 id="h-weather-shelter">Weather shelter</h4>



<p>Tree cavities can offer protection from adverse weather conditions, maintaining a relatively stable internal environment.</p>



<h4 id="h-camouflage">Camouflage</h4>



<p>The recessed nature of cavities can make nests harder to spot, especially from aerial predators.</p>



<p><em>—--</em></p>



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Rainforest transformation impacts reproduction among cavity-nesting birds

Deep in Ecuador's Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, researchers used an extendable...

<p>A recent study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aceb79"><em>Environmental Research Letters</em></a><em> </em>has found that over one billion cows around the globe will experience heat stress by the end of this century if greenhouse gas emissions remain high and environmental protection low.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-lethal-heat-stress">Lethal heat stress&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The findings suggest that cattle farming would face potentially lethal heat stress in a variety of regions, including Central America, tropical South America, Equatorial Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the analysis also revealed that rapidly reducing emissions - while keeping cattle production close to current levels - could reduce these impacts by at least 50 percent in Asia, 63 percent in South America, and 84 percent in Africa.</p>



<h2 id="h-heat-impacts">Heat impacts</h2>



<p>Extreme heat is damaging to cattle in a variety of ways, especially when combined with high humidity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For instance, it reduces fertility, impairs the development of calves, reduces milk production in dairy cows, and can result in an increased number of deaths, thus significantly impacting the viability of livestock farming, while reducing animal welfare and farm income.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted</h2>



<p>To examine current and future impacts of heat stress on cattle, the scientists analyzed today’s heat and humidity conditions around the world.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Next, they estimated how these heat conditions will impact cattle in future decades by taking into account different levels of emissions and forms of land use.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The investigations revealed that, if future emissions are very high, nine out of ten cows around the globe will experience 30 or more days of heat stress per year, and more than three in ten will experience it throughout the whole year by the end of the century.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although the most affected countries will be in tropical regions, many other parts of the world – including regions in Europe and North America - will face multiple months of heat stress each year. Some areas in Japan, Australia, and Mexico will likely experience over 180 heat stress days per year.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Increasing temperatures and humidity will force farmers to adapt to these new conditions by providing ventilation or even air conditioning for the cattle or switching to heat-adapted cattle breeds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, such measures will become increasingly expensive with future warming and will not be possible in all regions, meaning that cattle farming may no longer be viable in places where it is currently a major occupation, such as Brazil, India, Paraguay, Uruguay, north-eastern Argentina, and across East African and Sahelian countries.</p>



<p>“Our study clearly shows that cattle are increasingly exposed to temperatures that impact their welfare, reducing growth and production and potentially leading to increasing deaths, in many parts of the world that are currently seen as prime cattle-farming territory,” said lead author Michelle Worth, a veterinarian and researcher at the <a href="https://ukzn.ac.za/">University of KwaZulu-Natal</a>.</p>



<p>“It is also important to remember that we are only looking at heat stress here, and do not consider changes to water availability. What this means, is that cattle farming will become less and less viable in many parts of the world.”</p>



<h2 id="h-reducing-emissions">Reducing emissions</h2>



<p>Rapidly cutting greenhouse emissions and maintaining livestock production within current levels could significantly reduce the number of cattle exposed to heat stress, particularly in some of the most affected areas, such as Asia, South America, and Africa.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Curbing emissions will also protect cattle in temperate regions from experiencing heat stress for over half a year.</p>



<h2 id="h-reducing-meat-consumption">Reducing meat consumption&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“At the same time, farmers and governments need to carefully consider whether it makes sense to expand cattle production in regions that are projected to become too hot for cattle," said North.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"Consumers can help by choosing not to support increasing investment in cattle farming, through their purchasing decisions (for example through choosing sustainable diets, reducing meat consumption and supporting local producers), and through their voting decisions."</p>



<p>“We’ve seen the deadly impacts for humans of climate change intensifying heatwaves, but the animals that feed us are also at severe risk from heat. We need to act now to limit the risk," said study senior author Christopher Trisos, an ecologist and climate change expert at the <a href="https://uct.ac.za/">University of Cape Town</a>.</p>



<p>"Expanding cattle production by cutting down or burning tropical forests is unsustainable, it worsens climate change and will undermine the welfare of hundreds of millions more cattle that will be exposed to severe, year-round heat stress."</p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Cattle farming expansion could expose more than a billion cows to heat stress

A recent study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters...

<p>A team of scientists led by the <a href="https://gaiac-eco.de/?lang=en">Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment</a> in Germany has identified significant declines in insect populations across Europe, most of them linked to human activities that affect insect habitats.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The research was focused on a comprehensive review of 82 previously unpublished studies of two major groups of insects.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-complex-trends">Complex trends</h2>



<p>In recent years, concerns about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-insect-decline-what-are-the-causes-and-consequences/">declining insect</a> abundance and diversity have increased in many regions in Europe and North America. However, the trends scientists observed are highly complex.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For instance, after a species decreases, others often increase due to reduced competition. Moreover, the causes of the declines are multifaceted, are often elusive, and vary between regions, leading to significant challenges in addressing them.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>To clarify these issues, the experts conducted a review of 82 existing studies which focused on the drivers of changes in various Central and Western European populations of two major insect groups, Carabidae (ground beetles) and Lepidoptera (including butterflies and moths).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although some of these studies focused on one or the other group and some on both, all of them included population monitoring data spanning the last six years and focused on agricultural landscapes located mostly in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Although the analysis revealed both increases and decreases in diversity and abundance in both insect groups, declines were found to be more frequent, highlighting an overall declining trend for Central and Western Europe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Moreover, the researchers found that human activities were the main drivers of observed changes in insect populations (both increases and decreases). Such activities include agricultural practices, urbanization, climate change, and nature conservation. While most of these activities do not affect insects directly, they nevertheless significantly impact their habitats.</p>



<h2 id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed&nbsp;</h2>



<p>These findings could help inform efforts to structure human activities in ways that reduce disruption to natural ecosystems while still meeting human needs. However, further research is needed to expand the monitoring of potential drivers of insect population changes while monitoring population trends themselves.</p>



<p>“Research into the root causes of insect decline is challenging, as it requires the understanding of processes that have been taking place years or even decades ago. In our study, we leveraged the wealth of published long-term data to gain insights into factors associated with the decline of insects in Europe,” the authors concluded.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289565"><em>PLoS ONE</em></a><em>.</em><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-insect-declines">More about insect declines&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The decline of insects is a multifaceted issue that requires a combination of local, regional, and global efforts to address. Awareness and action are crucial to reverse this trend and maintain the ecological balance essential for life on Earth.</p>



<p>In recent years, many studies have confirmed significant declines in insect populations worldwide. These declines are concerning for several reasons:</p>



<h3 id="h-ecological-impact">Ecological impact</h3>



<p>Insects play crucial roles in ecosystems. They are pollinators, decomposers, and a vital food source for many animals, including birds, reptiles, and amphibians.</p>



<h3 id="h-economic-impact">Economic impact</h3>



<p>Many crops rely on insects, especially bees, for pollination. Without them, there would be significant implications for global food production and food security.</p>



<h3 id="h-loss-of-biodiversity">Loss of biodiversity</h3>



<p>The decline of any species can lead to reduced biodiversity, which can make ecosystems less resilient to changes and stressors.</p>



<h3 id="h-causes-of-insect-decline">Causes of insect decline</h3>



<h4 id="h-habitat-destruction">Habitat destruction</h4>



<p>Urbanization, agriculture, and other human activities are leading to loss and fragmentation of habitats essential for insect survival.</p>



<h4 id="h-pesticides">Pesticides</h4>



<p>Chemicals used in farming can be toxic to insects. Neonicotinoid pesticides, in particular, have been linked to declines in bee populations.</p>



<h4 id="h-climate-change">Climate change</h4>



<p>Altered weather patterns and increased temperatures can affect insect habitats, life cycles, and food availability.</p>



<h4 id="h-pollution">Pollution</h4>



<p>Water, soil, and air pollution can all negatively impact insect populations.</p>



<h4 id="h-invasive-species">Invasive species</h4>



<p>Non-native species can outcompete or introduce diseases to native insect populations.</p>



<p>Consequences of insect declines</p>



<h4 id="h-loss-of-pollinators">Loss of pollinators</h4>



<p>Many crops rely on insects for pollination. A decline in insect pollinators can affect food security.</p>



<h4 id="h-food-chain-disruption">Food chain disruption</h4>



<p>Insects are a primary food source for many animals. Their decline can lead to declines in predator populations and overall ecosystem imbalance.</p>



<h4 id="h-reduced-decomposition">Reduced decomposition</h4>



<p>Insects play a key role in breaking down organic matter. Their decline can slow decomposition rates, affecting soil health and nutrient cycling.</p>



<h3 id="h-potential-solutions">Potential solutions</h3>



<h4 id="h-reduce-pesticide-use">Reduce pesticide use</h4>



<p>Adopting integrated pest management, organic farming, or other sustainable agricultural practices can help.</p>



<h4 id="h-restore-habitats">Restore habitats</h4>



<p>Creating and maintaining green spaces, wildflower strips, and hedgerows can provide habitats and corridors for insects.</p>



<h4 id="h-research-and-monitoring">Research and monitoring</h4>



<p>More research and consistent monitoring are needed to understand the extent of the declines and how best to address them.</p>



<h4 id="h-raise-awareness">Raise awareness</h4>



<p>Educating the public and policymakers about the importance of insects can lead to better decision-making and increased support for conservation efforts.</p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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Insect declines directly linked to human activities 

A team of scientists led by the Research Institute for...

Blueberry,Smoothie,With,Mint,In,Mason,Jar,Mug,With,Straw.

<p>In a world increasingly alarmed by the environmental implications of single-use plastic products, many have turned to "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-develop-an-eco-friendly-material-to-purify-water/">eco-friendly</a>" alternatives like paper drinking straws. But a recent study from Belgium warns that these seemingly sustainable alternatives may not be as benign as we think.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The researchers caution users about the hidden contaminants in these seemingly green products. The experts report that "eco-friendly” paper drinking straws, celebrated for their biodegradability, may contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals.</p>



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Led by Dr. Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the <a href="https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/">University of Antwerp</a>, this research is the first of its kind in Europe and only the second globally. The team conducted a comprehensive analysis of 39 brands of straws, focusing on the detection of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).</p>



<p>PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," are renowned for their resistance properties. They are commonly found in products ranging from outdoor apparel to non-stick cookware.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These forever chemicals resist water, heat, and stains. But this resilience comes with an environmental and health toll. They degrade slowly, persisting in the environment for millennia.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-not-necessarily-eco-friendly">Not necessarily eco-friendly&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Not only are PFAS detrimental to our planet, but they have also been linked to numerous health complications - ranging from lowered responses to vaccines and thyroid diseases to heightened cholesterol levels and various cancers.</p>



<p>According to Dr. Groffen, "Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic. However, the presence of PFAS in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



<p>So how did these straws fare in the study? Out of the 39 brands, an alarming 69% (27 brands) were found to contain PFAS.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The majority, 90%, were paper straws. Bamboo straws weren’t far behind, with 80% of brands testing positive for PFAS.</p>



<p>These numbers are significant, especially when considering the global clampdown on single-use plastics. Countries like the UK and Belgium have banned such products, thrusting plant-based straws to the forefront.</p>



<h2 id="h-cocktail-of-chemicals">Cocktail of chemicals&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Furthermore, it's concerning that the most commonly detected PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been globally banned since 2020.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Adding to the cocktail of chemicals were "ultra-short chain" PFAS such as trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS). These are particularly troubling as they have high water solubility, raising concerns about leaching into beverages.</p>



<h2 id="h-relatively-low-concentrations">Relatively low concentrations</h2>



<p>However, it’s worth noting that the PFAS concentrations in these straws were relatively low. Given the sporadic use of straws by the average person, the immediate health risks might be limited.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Still yet, as Dr. Groffen points out, “Small amounts of PFAS, while not harmful in themselves, can add to the chemical load already present in the body.”</p>



<h2 id="h-origin-remains-a-mystery">Origin remains a mystery&nbsp;</h2>



<p>As for the origin of PFAS in these straws, it remains a mystery. Were they intentionally added by manufacturers for water resistance, or did they emerge from environmental contamination?&nbsp;</p>



<p>The team speculates that in some cases, the chemicals might be applied as water-repellent coatings, given their near-ubiquity in paper straw brands.</p>



<h2 id="h-study-limitations">Study limitations&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The study did have its limitations. For instance, the experts did not explore whether the PFAS would actually migrate from the straws to the drinks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Nevertheless, Dr. Groffen's concluding advice was clear-cut: “The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows they are not necessarily biodegradable. We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw – or just avoid using straws at all.”</p>



<p>In the quest for sustainable alternatives, it's crucial to ensure that replacements do not inadvertently introduce new problems. The findings from this study serve as a reminder that even green solutions need rigorous evaluation.</p>



<p>The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2023.2240908"><em>Food Additives &amp; Contaminants</em></a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Not so green: Hidden "forever chemicals" found in paper drinking straws 

In a world increasingly alarmed by the environmental implications of...

<p>In the summer months of 2023, the world experienced a sweltering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scorching-reality-extreme-heat-worsens-cognitive-decline/">heat</a> wave not felt in recent memory. Across various regions of the northern hemisphere, hot spells of varying lengths and intensities concurrently wreaked havoc. This wasn't just a routine warm spell – it was a blistering wave of heat breaking records across the globe.</p>



<p>The Forensic Disaster Analysis (FDA) Task Force Group of KIT’s CEDIM set out to investigate this meteorological phenomenon. The team analyzed the staggering temperatures that regions witnessed and the heightened exposure of populations to this extreme heat.</p>



<h2 id="h-unparalleled-temperatures">Unparalleled temperatures&nbsp;</h2>



<p>What was truly astonishing was the scale at which previous records were smashed. While some areas observed never-before-seen all-time highs, others saw new daily or even monthly records. Turning an eye to the oceans, the global mean surface temperature in June 2023 was unparalleled in recorded history.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For both land and sea, June 2023 stood out as the warmest June since records began in 1850. A worrying sign of what was to come, as the first three weeks of July 2023 turned out to be the hottest three-week period ever documented.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On July 6th, a global high of 17.08 degrees Celsius was recorded, with the temperatures of the preceding and succeeding days being only slightly cooler.</p>



<h2 id="h-persistent-heat">Persistent heat</h2>



<p>“For a big temperature anomaly to develop over a longer term, a long-lasting and unusually large-scale flow pattern is required,” explained Dr. Andreas Schäfer from the FDA Task Force Group of CEDIM.</p>



<p>An important factor is the pressure distribution in the middle troposphere, hovering around 5.5 kilometers altitude. This significantly influences the upper airflow and the consequential air mass transport.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“In July 2023, extraordinarily persistent high-pressure areas prevailed in the regions affected by the high temperatures. Here, descending air masses contributed significantly to warming and the local development of the heat wave.”</p>



<h2 id="h-heightened-heat-exposure">Heightened heat exposure&nbsp;</h2>



<p>These alarming temperatures had a direct, palpable impact on human lives. For Germany, the findings revealed that about seven million of its residents experienced daily maximum temperatures surpassing 25 degrees Celsius. This statistic was a jarring 40 percent jump compared to averages between 1980 and 1999.&nbsp;</p>



<p>More concerningly, individuals enduring temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius and beyond doubled, landing at around 206,000. Countries like Italy, Greece, Spain, the United States, China, and India also experienced heightened heat exposure during these months.</p>



<p>In Europe, Italy was hit hardest. Astonishingly, temperatures soared past 40 degrees Celsius. From 1980 to 1999, only around 4,000 individuals faced such daily temperatures. In 2023, this number leaped to over 127,000.</p>



<h2 id="h-adaptive-strategies">Adaptive strategies&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Recognizing the severe health implications of such heat exposure, state institutions sprang into action. A series of action plans and adaptive strategies were rolled out, with measures like the installation of public wells and water dispenser systems being initiated.</p>



<p>As we wait for official confirmation from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), preliminary reports suggest that many countries including the United States, Canada, and China, along with Mediterranean countries in North Africa and the Middle East, endured their hottest temperatures on record in July 2023.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Blistering heat of July 2023 broke records across the globe

In the summer months of 2023, the world experienced a...

<p>In a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.ade3535"><em>Science</em></a>, researchers have determined that a significant portion of the carbon credits tied to forest preservation may be based on inflated figures.</p>



<p>The research, led by an international consortium of scientists and economists from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> and VU Amsterdam, has found that the majority of carbon offset schemes might be significantly overestimating the deforestation levels they are preventing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"This means that many of the carbon credits bought by companies to balance out emissions are not tied to real-world forest preservation as claimed," says the report.</p>



<h2 id="h-carbon-credits">Carbon credits</h2>



<p>A system known as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) enables the generation of these carbon credits. These schemes invest in the protection of crucial forest sections across the globe, spanning areas from the Congo to the Amazon basin.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By safeguarding these forests from deforestation, the carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere is "stored," forming the basis for these carbon credits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Organizations, as well as individuals, can subsequently offset their carbon footprints by purchasing these credits, thereby compensating for a specific amount of their emissions.</p>



<h2 id="h-offsetting-emissions">Offsetting emissions</h2>



<p>However, the researchers argue that the calculations used to determine these credits often inflate the conservation successes of these voluntary REDD+ projects. They claim that many tons of greenhouse gas emissions considered "offset" by trees that would not otherwise exist have, in fact, only added to our planetary carbon debt.</p>



<p>The carbon credit market has witnessed exponential growth in recent years. Data from 2021 reveals that more than 150 million credits, valued at a staggering US $1.3 billion, originated from voluntary REDD+ projects.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This surging interest has raised concerns among researchers, especially when some companies, under the cloak of carbon offsetting, tout progress towards achieving "net zero" emissions, yet make minimal genuine efforts to mitigate greenhouse gases.</p>



<h2 id="h-alarming-revelation">Alarming revelation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The researchers behind this revelation have raised an alarming perspective. Drawing parallels with the concept of a "lemons market" in economics, they suggest that the burgeoning carbon credit market may be heading towards a precarious state.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In such a market, discerning the quality of products becomes a challenge for buyers, which allows some sellers to saturate the market with inferior products. The inevitable consequence is a severe erosion of trust, which could culminate in a market collapse.</p>



<h2 id="h-overblown-claims">Overblown claims</h2>



<p>“Carbon credits provide major polluters with some semblance of climate credentials. Yet we can see that claims of saving vast swathes of forest from the chainsaw to balance emissions are overblown,” explained study senior author Professor Andreas Kontoleon, from Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>“These carbon credits are essentially predicting whether someone will chop down a tree, and selling that prediction. If you exaggerate or get it wrong, intentionally or not, you are selling hot air.”</p>



<p>Professor Kontoleon points out that overestimations of forest preservation have allowed the number of carbon credits on the market to keep rising, which in turn suppresses the prices.</p>



<p>“Potential buyers benefit from consistently low prices created by the flood of credits. It means that companies can tick their net zero box at the lowest possible cost,” he said.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted</h2>



<p>The investigation was led by Dr. Thales West, a Fellow of the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance at Cambridge, currently stationed at VU Amsterdam,&nbsp;</p>



<p>"We used real-world comparison sites to show what each REDD+ forest project would most probably look like now, rather than relying on extrapolations of historical data that ignore a wide range of factors, from policy changes to market forces," explained Dr. West.</p>



<p>For their analysis, the research team selected 18 REDD+ projects dispersed across five tropical countries: Peru, Colombia, Cambodia, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They then identified existing forest areas within each region that closely mirrored the specific characteristics of the respective REDD+ project. This meant matching levels of forest cover, soil fertility, and even historical records of mining and deforestation.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Their findings were both revealing and alarming. Among the 18 projects, only one had a conservative estimate of its deforestation rates, and merely one had predictions that matched its real-world comparison site.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Astonishingly, the remaining 16 projects claimed that without their intervention, much higher rates of deforestation would have occurred, a claim which their comparison sites did not support.</p>



<p>The numbers are even more stark when it comes to carbon credits. The 18 REDD+ projects were anticipated to generate about 89 million carbon credits in 2020. The study, however, asserts that a staggering 68% of them (equivalent to over 60 million credits) would be from projects that made little to no genuine impact in reducing deforestation.</p>



<p>To make matters worse, the remaining 32% of carbon credits, which originated from REDD+ projects, were also found not to have conserved forests at the levels boasted by the project developers.</p>



<p>Dr. West and his team recalculated carbon credit values by replacing the deforestation levels anticipated by each REDD+ project with real-world forest cover data from their comparison sites.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They found that a mere 5.4 million carbon credits could be attributed to actual reductions in carbon emissions owing to preserved trees, which forms the foundational logic behind selling these credits. This implies that only 6% of the total carbon credits churned out by all 18 REDD+ projects in 2020 might hold any real value.</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>By November 2021, an astonishing 14.6 million carbon credits from these 18 REDD+ projects had already been purchased globally as an attempt to offset greenhouse gas emissions. With the disparity between theory and reality unveiled by this study, it raises pressing questions on the integrity of the REDD+ system and calls for a thorough reassessment to ensure it meets its intended objectives.</p>



<p>“These projects have already been used to offset almost three times more carbon than they have actually mitigated through forest preservation,” said Kontoleon. “And that’s with over 47 million credits still available in the market.”</p>



<p>“There are perverse incentives to generate huge numbers of carbon credits, and at the moment the market is essentially unregulated. Watchdog agencies are being created, but many of those involved are also linked to carbon credit certification agencies – so they will be marking their own homework."</p>



<p>“The industry needs to work on closing loopholes that might allow bad faith actors to exploit offset markets. It must develop far more sophisticated and transparent methods of quantifying the amount of preserved forest to become a trusted marketplace.”</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Millions of carbon credits are not tied to forest preservation, as claimed

In a new study published in the journal Science, researchers...

<p>Emperor penguins are facing a breeding failure on a scale never seen before, due to the unprecedented loss of Antarctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-sea-ice-algae-heavily-contaminated-with-microplastics/">sea ice</a>.</p>



<p>Emperor penguins rely on stable sea ice, firmly attached to the shore as "land-fast" ice, for the majority of the year. It serves as their breeding ground from April to January, with eggs being laid during the harsh Antarctic winter from May to June. These eggs hatch after 65 days, and the chicks do not fledge until summer, between December and January.</p>



<p>A study published today in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00927-x"><em>Communications Earth &amp; Environment</em></a> reveals the catastrophic effects of Antarctic sea ice loss.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Researchers from the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> (BAS) say that it is likely that no chicks survived from four of the five known emperor penguin colonies in the central and eastern Bellingshausen Sea.</p>



<h2 id="h-displaced-chicks">Displaced chicks</h2>



<p>Study lead author Dr Peter Fretwell said: “We have never seen emperor penguins fail to breed, at this scale, in a single season. The loss of sea ice in this region during the Antarctic summer made it very unlikely that displaced chicks would survive."</p>



<p>"We know that emperor penguins are highly vulnerable in a warming climate - and current scientific evidence suggests that extreme sea ice loss events like this will become more frequent and widespread."</p>



<h2 id="h-a-grim-outlook">A grim outlook</h2>



<p>Since 2016, Antarctica has experienced the four lowest years of sea ice extents in the 45-year satellite record. Between 2018 and 2022, 30% of the 62 known emperor penguin colonies were affected by partial or total sea ice loss.</p>



<p>These colonies have previously responded to such incidents by relocating to more stable sites, but scientists warn that this strategy won’t work if sea ice habitat across an entire region is affected. Uniquely for a vertebrate species, climate change is considered the sole major factor influencing their long-term population change.</p>



<p>The forecast for the emperor penguins is devastating. If present rates of warming persist, over 90% of colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of this century.</p>



<h2 id="h-satellite-monitoring">Satellite monitoring</h2>



<p>Scientists have discovered the five colonies of penguins studied (Rothschild Island, Verdi Inlet, Smyley Island, Bryan Peninsula, and Pfrogner Point) in the last 14 years using satellite imagery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This technology also allows for continuous monitoring. The European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission has kept a watchful eye over Antarctica since 2018, providing crucial data.</p>



<p>By the end of December 2022, sea ice extent was the lowest experienced in the 45-year satellite record. As of August 2023, the sea ice extent was 2.2 million km^2 lower than the 1981-2022 median, a missing area larger than the size of Greenland or around ten times the size of the United Kingdom.</p>



<h2 id="h-tumbling-sea-ice-records">Tumbling sea ice records</h2>



<p>Dr. Caroline Holmes, a polar climate scientist at BAS, said: “Right now, in August 2023, the sea ice extent in Antarctica is still far below all previous records for this time of year. In this period where oceans are freezing up, we’re seeing areas that are still, remarkably, largely ice-free."</p>



<p>"Year-to-year changes in sea ice extent are linked to natural atmospheric patterns such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the strength of the southern hemisphere jet stream, and regional low-pressure systems."</p>



<p>"We’ll need years of targeted observations and modeling to know precisely how much the current conditions are being influenced by these phenomena and by natural ocean variability. However, the recent years of tumbling sea ice records and warming of the subsurface Southern Ocean point strongly to human-induced global warming exacerbating these extremes.”</p>



<h2 id="h-ecosystem-annihilation">Ecosystem annihilation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The loss of Antarctic sea ice, leading to the catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins, is a major wakeup call. Climate models show a decline in Antarctic sea ice under current and forecast human carbon dioxide emissions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This paper dramatically reveals the connection between sea ice loss and ecosystem annihilation. Climate change is melting sea ice at an alarming rate. It is likely to be absent from the Arctic in the 2030s - and in the Antarctic, the four lowest sea ice extents recorded have been since 2016," said Dr. Jeremy Wilkinson, a sea ice physicist at BAS.</p>



<p>"It is another warning sign for humanity that we cannot continue down this path, politicians must act to minimise the impact of climate change. There is no time left.”</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Emperor penguins face tragic breeding failures due to sea ice loss

Emperor penguins are facing a breeding failure on a scale...

<p>In a remarkable discovery, astronomers employing the <a href="https://www.eso.org/">European Southern Observatory</a>’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have made an unexpected observation of Neptune's atmospheric enigma: a large dark spot, accompanied by an unforeseen smaller bright spot adjacent to it. </p>



<p>Remarkably, this marks the first instance of a dark spot on Neptune being observed with an Earth-bound telescope.</p>



<p>The serene blue background of Neptune's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-uncover-new-way-that-earth-cleans-its-atmosphere/">atmosphere</a> occasionally reveals mysterious features which, until now, remained largely unexplained. This discovery offers new insights into the nature and origin of these atmospheric anomalies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-elusive-dark-features">Elusive dark features</h2>



<p>While large spots are relatively common in the atmospheres of giant planets, such as Jupiter's renowned Great Red Spot, Neptune’s own history with dark spots dates back to NASA’s Voyager 2 mission in 1989, which observed one such spot. However, it vanished a few years subsequent to its discovery.</p>



<p>“Since the first discovery of a dark spot, I’ve always wondered what these short-lived and elusive dark features are,” said Patrick Irwin, a professor at the University of Oxford and lead investigator of the study published today in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02047-0"><em>Nature Astronomy</em></a>.</p>



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Through the data acquired from the VLT, Professor Irwin and his colleagues dismissed the notion that these dark spots were simply openings in the clouds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Instead, the observations imply that the spots manifest as a result of air particles becoming darkened in a layer beneath Neptune’s primary visible haze layer, caused by the interaction of ices and hazes in the atmosphere.</p>



<p>The transient nature of these spots presented challenges in comprehending them. The turning point arrived when the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope identified multiple dark spots on Neptune, including a prominent one in the northern hemisphere in 2018.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Seizing this opportunity, Professor Irwin and his team embarked on a comprehensive analysis utilizing the VLT’s Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE), which fractionates reflected sunlight from Neptune into its individual colors or wavelengths, culminating in a 3D spectrum.</p>



<p>“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been able to not only make the first detection of a dark spot from the ground, but also record for the very first time a reflection spectrum of such a feature,” said Professor Irwin.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-study-revealed">What the study revealed</h2>



<p>The spectrum analysis, probing different depths of Neptune’s atmosphere, enabled the researchers to accurately pinpoint the altitude at which the dark spot resides.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Furthermore, it yielded details regarding the atmospheric layers’ chemical compositions, shedding light on the causes of the spot’s darkness.</p>



<p>“In the process we discovered a rare deep bright cloud type that had never been identified before, even from space,” said study co-author Michael Wong, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The discovery of this "deep bright cloud" adjacent to the main dark spot, per VLT data, suggests that this is a novel atmospheric feature, differing from previously observed high-altitude methane ice clouds.</p>



<p>“This is an astounding increase in humanity’s ability to observe the cosmos," said Wong. "At first, we could only detect these spots by sending a spacecraft there, like Voyager."&nbsp;</p>



<p>"Then we gained the ability to make them out remotely with Hubble. Finally, technology has advanced to enable this from the ground. This could put me out of work as a Hubble observer!”</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Mysterious dark spot on Neptune detected from Earth for the first time

In a remarkable discovery, astronomers employing the European Southern Observatory’s...

<p>Since global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-biodiversity-crisis-is-actually-worse-than-we-thought/">biodiversity</a> loss is currently accelerating at an unprecedented rate, tracking changes in wildlife is crucial for informing adaptive management strategies and conserving biodiversity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Moreover, since the majority of emerging infectious diseases have their origins in wild animal populations, understanding which animal species are where is needed for estimating and potentially reducing the risk of disease spillover into human populations.</p>



<h2 id="h-collecting-animal-dna">Collecting animal DNA&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In a new study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.031"><em>Current Biology</em></a>, an international team of scientists has employed a simple yet innovative method of monitoring species compositions in specific regions: sampling DNA from leaves, a technique inspired by recent findings that animal DNA can be sampled from air.</p>



<p>“If animal DNA is in the air all around us, perhaps it settles and gets stuck to sticky surfaces like leaves,” said senior author Jan Gogarten, an expert in the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases at the <a href="https://www.uni-greifswald.de/en/">University of Greifswald</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The rainforest and its plants are often called ‘the lungs of the planet.’ Could the lungs of the planet represent the ideal place to sample settling DNA from air?”</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The researchers tested this idea in the Kibale National Park in Uganda, which is well known for its rich biodiversity and has attracted biologists for decades.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Armed with 24 cotton buds, the scientists started swabbing leaves for three minutes with each of them, aiming to collect samples from as many leaves as possible within the timeframe.</p>



<p>“To be honest, we did not expect great results,” said lead author Christina Lynggaard, a molecular ecologist at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>. “The rainforest is hot and humid and these are conditions that cause DNA to quickly degrade.”</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



<p>However, when the results came back from the DNA sequencer, the researchers were amazed. “We found DNA from an absolutely staggering diversity of animals in those 24 cotton buds - over 50 species of mammals and birds and a frog. And all from just a total of 72 minutes of swabbing leaves,” Gogarten reported.</p>



<p>The analysis detected an average of nearly eight animal species in each of the cotton buds, spanning a wide diversity of mammals and birds from the massive African elephant to a tiny species of songbird.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some of the animals that were detected included the hammer-headed fruit bat, an amazing creature with a wingspan of nearly a meter, various species of monkeys such as the elusive L’Hoest’s monkey and the endangered ashy red colobus, as well as a diversity of rodents such as the forest giant squirrel, and birds like the great blue turaco and the endangered grey parrot.</p>



<h2 id="h-wildlife-management-strategies">Wildlife management strategies&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“This diversity of detected animals and the high animal detection rate per swab showcase that animal DNA can be readily sampled from leaves,” Gogarten said. “The high detection rate and the ease of sampling can make swabbing a new tool with which to inform wildlife management strategies.”</p>



<p>Currently, animals worldwide are facing significant threats from human activities, leading to severe biodiversity loss, particularly in tropical regions. This worrisome trend has far-reaching consequences for the essential services and functions these ecosystems provide, such as seed dispersal or pollination.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thus, careful monitoring of animal populations is crucial for understanding the scale of recent ecosystem changes and for guiding the development of effective management strategies. </p>



<p>Moreover, knowing the location of various animal species is crucial for assessing the risk of spillover in areas where wildlife can get into contact with humans.</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“With numerous factors rapidly changing on our planet, understanding how they influence wild animal populations is a complex yet critical task, and we anticipate that DNA detected with leaf swabs can provide us valuable insights,” Gogarten said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We know that many animals live in these dense rainforests, but we rarely see them, and their changing distributions are really difficult to map. This remarkably straightforward sampling method gives us an efficient tool to make the unseeable seeable.”</p>



<p>“Leaf swabbing itself does not require fancy and expensive equipment or lengthy training to carry out, and so it can easily be carried out by citizen science programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, testing required automated extraction of nucleic acids from millions of swabs per day, and the analytical devices were spread to every corner of the planet. What if these instruments could be repurposed for using swabs to monitor animals on a massive scale?” Lynggaard concluded.</p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Animal diversity can be monitored by collecting DNA from leaves

Since global biodiversity loss is currently accelerating at an unprecedented...

<p>According to a recent study led by <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/">NYU Grossman School of Medicine</a>, exposure to smoke from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canadian-fires-have-released-a-billion-tons-of-carbon-dioxide/">Canadian wildfires</a> in June 2023 led to only a slightly higher increase in visits to New York City hospital emergency departments for breathing problems or asthma attacks than what is usually seen on days when pollen counts are high. However, the experts warn that other possible health issues, such as heart attacks or strokes, still need to be assessed.</p>



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



<p>The researchers analyzed daily levels of air pollution during the first six months of 2023 (including months of regular ambient air pollution and the days in June when wildfire smoke peaked), as measured by the presence of tiny particles known as PM2.5. If entering the lungs, such pollutants can lead to inflammation, as well as respiratory and heart problems.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The investigation revealed that wildfire smoke led to a three percent average increase in asthma-related visits to emergency departments across all the hospitals in New York City (for each 10 microgram increase in PM2.5 per cubic meter of air).&nbsp;</p>



<p>On June 7, when wildfire smoke was at its worse (at a PM2.5 of 146 micrograms per cubic meter of air), asthma-related ER visits peaked at 335, up from a daily average of 188 per day. This number is only slightly higher than the 302 asthma-related emergencies seen on April 26, when the levels of air pollen – another major lung irritant and asthma trigger – was high (over 1,500 per cubic meter of air).&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Thankfully, the respiratory effects of the wildfire smoke in June were not much worse than what had been seen on really bad pollen days back in the spring, and despite what many New Yorkers may have feared on seeing hazy, orange air,” said study co-author Wuyue Yu, a doctoral student at <a href="https://nyulangone.org/">NYU Langone Health</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-long-term-consequences-are-unknown">Long-term consequences are unknown</h2>



<p>These findings mirror those observed with rises in ambient air pollution and pollen seen elsewhere, and their effect on asthma-related ER visits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Still, the long-term consequences, if any, of exposure to wildfire smoke remain unknown, so we are not yet totally in the clear,” said co-author David Luglio, another PhD candidate at the same institution.</p>



<h2 id="h-fossil-fuel-emissions">Fossil fuel emissions</h2>



<p>In future studies, the researchers aim to compare the health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke to particulate matter commonly inhaled from fossil-fuel combustion, which is more dangerous.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“While inhaling any particle-filled air is not good for your lungs, we do know that wildfire smoke is primarily made up of organic matter,” said lead author George Thurston, a professor of Medicine and Population Health at NYU Langone. “As a result, it is not enriched in the toxic metals that are found in fossil-fuel emissions, which are known to cause damaging oxidative stress in the body.”</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>According to Thurston, since potassium is a key component of soil and foliage, wildfire smoke contains 64 percent more potassium than ambient air pollution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By contrast, wildfire smoke contains just 12 percent of the average levels of copper present in background air pollution and 26 percent of the average levels of sulfur observed in the ambient air.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These hazardous substances are found in average New York City air and are well-known causes of oxidative stress when inhaled.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202306-1073LE"><em>American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Wildfire smoke exposure was not much worse than a bad pollen day in NYC

According to a recent study led by NYU Grossman School...

<p>Charles Darwin, during his monumental voyage on the HMS Beagle, was deeply intrigued by the mystery of how coral reefs thrived in nutrient-poor sections of the ocean. This scientific enigma, known as Darwin’s Paradox of Coral Reefs, has been an enduring question among marine biologists for decades.</p>



<p>A breakthrough discovery, led by the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a>, has now unlocked this age-old mystery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It turns out that corals are not strictly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bears-are-not-carnivores-and-they-crave-a-healthy-diet/">carnivores</a>, as once thought. Instead, they have a "vegetarian side," actively farming and digesting their photosynthetic partners, the symbiont algae, to extract the nutrients they need.</p>



<h2 id="h-darwin-s-paradox-of-coral-reefs">Darwin’s Paradox of Coral Reefs</h2>



<p>Professor Jörg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton, who led the study said:&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The question as to why coral reefs thrive in parts of the oceans that are poor in nutrients is known as Darwin’s Paradox of Coral Reefs and has inspired the discovery of several important processes that can help to explain this phenomenon. We can now add the missing piece of the puzzle and help to solve the long-running mystery.”</p>



<p>“When Charles Darwin set sail on the HMS Beagle, he considered himself a geologist and during his voyage through tropical seas, quickly became interested in where and why coral reefs are formed."</p>



<p>"Darwin correctly predicted how the subsidence of the Earth’s crust and the steady upward growth of corals interact to form vast reef structures. However, the biological mechanisms behind this vigorous growth remained unstudied.”</p>



<h2 id="h-symbiotic-relationships">Symbiotic relationships</h2>



<p>Contrary to their stony appearance, corals are vibrant colonies of individual polyps. These soft-bodied creatures, while resembling plants, are actually animals.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Their symbiotic relationship with the microscopic algae residing within their cells is the critical to their survival. The algae generate carbon-rich compounds, providing the coral with essential energy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The algae also efficiently harness dissolved inorganic nutrients from the surrounding seawater, which the coral host can't directly absorb.</p>



<h2 id="h-major-breakthrough">Major breakthrough</h2>



<p>The breakthrough in this research came when scientists, in collaboration with Lancaster University, Tel Aviv University, and the University of Jerusalem, identified the mechanism of nutrient transfer from the algae to the corals.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Over the many years during which we propagated symbiotic corals in our experimental aquarium system, we had observed that they grew very well even when they were not fed. It could not be explained by the current state of knowledge how nutrients were exchanged by the two partners of the symbiosis, so we figured that we were missing a big piece of the picture and started to analyse the process systematically," said co-lead author Dr. Cecilia D’Angelo.</p>



<p>“One would expect that animals die or stop growing if they don’t eat. However, the corals looked perfectly happy and grew rapidly if we kept them in water with elevated levels of dissolved inorganic nutrients," noted Dr. Loreto Mardones-Velozo, who conducted key experiments.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Using isotopic labeling, a unique method to track the movement of nutrients, the team traced the path of nitrogen from the surrounding water to the algae, and subsequently to the coral host.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We used isotopic labeling to ‘spike’ the nutrients supplied to the corals with nitrogen atoms that were heavier than normal," explained Bastian Hambach, manager of the Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. "These isotopes allowed us to trace the coral’s use of the nutrients using ultrasensitive detection methods."</p>



<p>“With this technique, we could unambiguously demonstrate that the nitrogen atoms that sustained the growth of the coral tissue were derived from the dissolved inorganic nutrients that were fed to their symbionts in the experiment,' explained paleoceanographer Paul Wilson.</p>



<h2 id="h-digesting-excess-parts-of-their-symbionts">Digesting excess parts of their symbionts</h2>



<p>Professor Jörg Wiedenmann of the University of Southampton said the team used 10 different coral species to quantify how the symbiont population grew along with their hosts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"Using mathematical models of the symbiont growth, we could show that the corals digest the excess part of their symbiont population to harvest nutrients for their growth. Our data suggest that most symbiotic corals can supplement their nutrition through such a 'vegetarian diet," said Professor Wiedenmann.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-field-studies-confirmed-the-findings">Field studies confirmed the findings</h2>



<p>Notably, these findings were not confined to the laboratory. Field studies conducted around islands in the Indian Ocean supported the lab results, showcasing that the "vegetarian side" of corals could significantly boost their growth in natural environments.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The reefs around some of these islands are supplied with substantial amounts of nutrients that come from ‘guano,’ the excrements of the seabirds nesting on the islands. On other islands, the seabird colonies have been decimated by invasive rats," said Professor Nick Graham, a marine ecologist at Lancaster University.</p>



<p>"Accordingly, the associated reefs receive less nutrients. We measured the growth of staghorn coral colonies around islands with and without dense seabird populations and found that growth was more than twice as fast on reefs that were supplied with seabird nutrients."</p>



<p>“We calculate that about half of the nitrogen molecules in the tissue of the coral animals from islands with seabirds can be traced back to uptake by the symbionts and the subsequent translocation to the host.”</p>



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The discovery that corals have this vegetarian side also raises concerns for the future. Global warming could disrupt the nutrient balance essential for coral health, suggested Dr D’Angelo.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Warming surface waters are less likely to receive nutrients from deeper water layers. The reduced water productivity can result in less nutrients for the symbionts and in-turn less food for the coral animals.”</p>



<p>In essence, this research not only unravels a mystery dating back to Darwin but also serves as a reminder of the delicate balance in nature and the looming challenges it faces.</p>



<p>—--</p>



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

Corals have a "vegetarian side" that keeps them alive in nutrient-poor areas

Charles Darwin, during his monumental voyage on the HMS Beagle,...

<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=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air"><strong>Invisible threat in urban air</strong></h2>



<p>City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge"><strong>Disturbing connections emerge</strong></h2>



<p>Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters"><strong>Timing matters</strong></h2>



<p>The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns"><strong>Genetic vulnerability patterns</strong></h2>



<p>Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications"><strong>Public health implications</strong></h2>



<p>These findings, published in <em><a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a></em>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.</p>



<p>As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.</p>



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

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=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



<p>Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.</p>



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



<p>Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.</p>



<p>Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



<p>The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.</p>



<p>Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



<p>Published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a></em>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.</p>



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<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=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



<p>Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



<p>The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.</p>



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



<p>Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.</p>



<p>The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



<p>This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.</p>



<p>The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.</p>



<p>The full study was recently published in <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a></em>.</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<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=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



<p>Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



<p>A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.</p>



<p>Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.</p>



<p>Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents".  In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively.   MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.</p>



<p>MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization.  The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



<p>Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.</p>



<p>Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



<p>The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



<p>Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.</p>



<p>This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



<p>The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.</p>



<p>PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



<p>AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.</p>



<p>In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



<p>The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.</p>



<p>As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.</p>



<p>The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.</p>



<p>For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.</p>



<p>The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.</p>



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<p>MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a></p>



<p>Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a></p>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<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=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



<p>The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



<p>Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.</p>



<p>The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.</p>



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



<p>The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



<p>While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



<p>As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Communications</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<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>



<p>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?</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>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.</em></p>



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



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> 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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> 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></p>



<p>-----</p>



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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...

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

<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://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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<p>-----</p>

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

<p>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. </p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter 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://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



<p>Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. </p>



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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).</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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>.</p>

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



<p>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."</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: ESA</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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