High in Alaska’s Brooks Range, streams that once ran so clear you could drink from them are now the color of rusty tea. The water looks hazy, smells metallic, and can stain rocks orange for miles.&nbsp;



Fish are struggling, insect life is smothered, and the change has arrived with startling speed. Scientists say the culprit isn’t industry. It’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thawing-permafrost-could-tip-earths-climate-balance/">thawing permafrost</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-frozen-ground-wakes-up">When frozen ground wakes up</h2>



For millennia, Arctic permafrost - permanently frozen soil - locked minerals in place. As the region warms, that icy seal is failing. Water and oxygen seep into freshly thawed ground and set off a chain reaction in sulfide-rich rocks (pyrite is a prime example).&nbsp;



The chemistry is textbook: sulfides oxidize, sulfuric acid forms, and the acid leaches metals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/iron-was-lifes-first-essential-metal-and-shaped-early-evolution/">iron</a>, aluminum, and cadmium from surrounding rock. Those metals then flush into rivers and streams.



“This is what acid mine drainage looks like,” said Tim Lyons, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Riverside. “But here, there’s no mine. The permafrost is thawing and changing the chemistry of the landscape.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astounding-changes-in-water-chemistry">Astounding changes in water chemistry</h2>



A new study zeroes in on the Salmon River, a key waterway in the Brooks Range, documenting just how far the contamination has progressed.&nbsp;



But the authors stress the pattern isn’t isolated. Similar transformations are underway across dozens of Arctic watersheds that share the same mix of geology and thaw.



“I have worked and traveled in the Brooks Range since 1976, and the recent changes in landforms and water chemistry are truly astounding,” said David Cooper, a <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a> research scientist and co-author of the study.



The alarm first sounded in 2019. Ecologist Paddy Sullivan of the <a href="https://www.alaska.edu/alaska/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska</a> was flying into the backcountry to study northward-shifting forests when his bush pilot mentioned the Salmon hadn’t cleared after snowmelt - it looked, he said, “like sewage.”&nbsp;



Sullivan’s field observations led to a collaboration with Lyons, <a href="https://www.alaskapacific.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alaska Pacific University</a>’s Roman Dial, and others to trace the cause and measure the ecological fallout.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toxic-metals-in-alaska-s-rivers">Toxic metals in Alaska's rivers</h2>



The team’s analysis confirmed a geochemical cascade. Permafrost thaw exposes sulfide-bearing rocks, oxidation generates acidity, and the resulting acid mobilizes a suite of metals.&nbsp;



In small doses many metals are harmless or even essential. But at higher concentrations they become toxic to aquatic life - and the Salmon River’s waters now exceed the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> thresholds for several metals detrimental to fish and invertebrates.



Iron is the most visible signal. As iron oxidizes, it forms fine, orange precipitates that cloud the water and coat the streambed. That haze blocks sunlight that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-algae-that-once-cooled-earth-are-now-disappearing/">algae</a> and aquatic plants need, and the sludge blankets the gravel and cobbles where insect larvae live and fish spawn. 



Cadmium is more insidious: it can accumulate in fish organs, potentially affecting predators from Dolly Varden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trout-living-in-polluted-rivers-evolved-to-tolerate-high-metal-levels-in-the-waters/">trout</a> and grayling to birds and bears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-in-the-food-chain">Ripple effects in the food chain</h2>



For now, the researchers say metal levels in edible fish tissue are not considered hazardous to humans. But indirect risks loom large.&nbsp;



Chum salmon - central to the diets and culture of many Indigenous communities - lay their eggs in clean, oxygenated gravel. When those spaces fill with fine sediment and metal precipitates, the oxygen drops and eggs can suffocate. 



Changes in insect communities ripple up the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-twilight-zone-stabilizes-the-marine-food-chain/">food chain</a>, weakening the foundation that supports juvenile fish and the species that eat them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irreversible-shift-in-alaska-s-rivers">Irreversible shift in Alaska's rivers</h2>



Unlike mine sites - where engineers can install liners, drains, or neutralizing systems - these rivers wind through remote, roadless country, and the sources of contamination are everywhere thaw has reached the right rock. There is no single pipe to plug, no settling pond to build.



“Wherever you have the right kind of rock and thawing permafrost, this process can start,” Lyons said. And once it does, it tends to keep going. The only true “off switch” would be for the permafrost to refreeze - an unlikely prospect in a warming climate.



“There’s no fixing this once it starts,” Lyons said. “It’s another irreversible shift driven by a warming planet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerprints-of-global-warming">Fingerprints of global warming</h2>



The experts hope their findings will help communities, land managers, and fisheries prepare - by expanding water quality monitoring, identifying vulnerable spawning grounds, planning alternative harvests if runs falter, and adapting management practices as conditions change.



The broader message is sobering. The Brooks Range is about as far from cities and smokestacks as you can get. Yet its rivers are wearing the unmistakable fingerprints of global warming.



“There are few places left on Earth as untouched as these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alaskas-rivers-are-rusting-and-the-changes-are-visible-from-space/">rivers</a>,” Lyons said. “But even here, far from cities and highways, the fingerprint of global warming is unmistakable. No place is spared.”



Rivers once known for their wild clarity are telling a new story - one where ancient ice, long trusted to keep the land’s chemistry in check, is finally letting go.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2425644122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: Taylor Rhoades



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Alaska's rivers are turning orange, and the changes are irreversible

High in Alaska’s Brooks Range, streams that once ran so clear you could drink from them are now the color of rusty tea. The water looks hazy, smells metallic, and can stain rocks orange for miles.&nbsp; Fish are struggling, insect life is smothered, and the change has arrived with startling speed. Scientists say the culprit isn’t industry. It’s thawing permafrost. When frozen ground wakes up For millennia, Arctic permafrost - permanently frozen soil - locked minerals in place. As the region warms, that icy seal is failing....

Ambon,,Indonesia,-,January,25,,2023,:,Silhouette,Photo,Of

Scientists have recently discovered that humans have recorded less than 0.001 percent of the deep seafloor - a surface that covers two-thirds of the planet. 



The finding shows how little we really know about life and geology below 200 meters. The analysis comes from a study led by researchers at <a href="https://www.oceandiscoveryleague.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Discovery League</a> and partner groups. 



Using records from about 44,000 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-deep-sea-fish-survive-the-crushing-depths-of-the-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep-sea</a> dives since 1958, the team produced the first global estimate of visual coverage in deep water. They report that the total imaged area is only as large as the U.S. state of Rhode Island.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vast-depths-still-unexplored">Vast depths still unexplored</h2>



The deep ocean sustains rich ecosystems, moderates climate, produces much of Earth’s oxygen, and supplies molecules for new drugs.



Yet visual surveys of this realm remain rare and clustered around a few coastlines. Most dives have happened close to shore because far-off expeditions cost millions of dollars.



“As we face accelerated threats to the deep ocean - from climate change to potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-mining-impacts-marine-life-for-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mining</a> and resource exploitation - this limited exploration of such a vast region becomes a critical problem for both science and policy,” said lead author Katy Croff Bell, the founder and president of the Ocean Discovery League.



“We need a much better understanding of the deep ocean's ecosystems and processes to make informed decisions about resource management and conservation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-seafloor-exploration-is-uneven">Deep seafloor exploration is uneven</h2>



The researchers found that 65 percent of all visual observations happened within two-hundred nautical miles of only three nations.



The United States, Japan, and New Zealand dominate because they own or fund most deep-diving vehicles.



Five countries - the United States, Japan, New Zealand, France, and Germany - conducted ninety-seven percent of all recorded dives. That narrow sampling skews our picture of the deep sea. 



Traits seen off California or Honshu may not describe conditions under the tropical Atlantic or the Southern Ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-images-low-detail">Old images, low detail</h2>



Almost thirty percent of the dives logged by the study took place before 1980. Many produced only black-and-white still photos. 



Today’s color and video systems can resolve tiny organisms and map fine sediment patterns, yet large parts of the ocean floor have never been filmed with modern gear.



Because many expedition logs are not public, the team tested how missing records might change the estimate. 



Even if the true tally were ten times higher, they conclude, we would still have images for less than one-hundredth of one percent of the deep seafloor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uneven-ocean-habitat-coverage">Uneven ocean habitat coverage</h2>



Canyons, ridges, and other dramatic features draw scientists because they are visually striking and may host rare species. In contrast, broad abyssal plains and many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-are-gathering-hubs-for-ocean-predators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seamounts</a> lie in silence and darkness.



Those plains hold most of the deep bottom, but they remain poorly sampled. Without clear data, researchers cannot judge how global warming, fishing gear, or planned seabed mining will alter these vast habitats.



The authors argue that cost, not curiosity, limits exploration. Deep-rated submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, and large research ships demand huge budgets. Technologists are now building smaller, cheaper <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biohybrid-jellyfish-robotics-ocean-exploration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">robots</a> and camera sleds that coastal labs can deploy.



Such systems could open doors for low- and middle-income nations. If more countries gather images from their own waters, the global map will fill in faster and with less bias.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ocean-is-still-a-mystery">The ocean is still a mystery</h2>



Ian Miller of the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Geographic Society</a> noted that there is so much of our ocean that remains a mystery.



“Deep-sea exploration led by scientists and local communities is crucial to better understanding the planet’s largest ecosystem," said Miller. 



“Dr. Bell’s goals to equip global coastal communities with cutting-edge research and technology will ensure a more representative analysis of the deep sea. If we have a better understanding of our ocean, we are better able to conserve and protect it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-narrow-view-of-a-vast-world">A narrow view of a vast world</h2>



The paper offers a stark comparison: imagine trying to understand all land life on Earth by studying an area the size of Houston, Texas. That, the authors argue, is the scale of our current visual knowledge of the deep sea.



Without broader coverage, global policies on deep-sea mining, fishing, and climate mitigation rest on dangerously limited data.



To address this, the authors urge agencies, foundations, and industry to support large-scale imaging campaigns. They also call on researchers to share dive records openly - so that every frame of footage and every still image adds to a collective archive.



With shared data and open software, analysts worldwide could help identify new species, map coral gardens, or track drifting debris in deep-sea trenches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hope-below-the-waves">Hope below the waves</h2>



Technological progress gives reason for optimism. Autonomous vehicles now fit in a suitcase and dive thousands of meters. 



Machine learning can sort hours of deep seafloor footage in minutes. Fiber-optic cables on the seabed can detect passing animals through tiny pressure shifts. Taken together, these advances could multiply visual coverage within a decade.



The study marks a turning point in how society views the hidden majority of the planet. By revealing the gaps, the researchers have set clear targets for future work. Filling those gaps will require money, new machines, and global cooperation.



Yet the payoff could be immense: better climate forecasts, new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-sea-microbes-show-promise-as-new-antibiotic-drugs/">medicines</a>, wiser resource policy, and the thrill of discovery in places no human has ever seen.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp8602">Science Advances</a>.



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Only .001 percent of Earth's deep seafloor has ever been directly observed

Scientists have recently discovered that humans have recorded less than...

A striking new study has found that all of the 28 largest cities in the United States is sinking to some extent, with certain areas within cities dropping faster than others.



The research sheds light not only on the coastal cities already grappling with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-cities-on-u-s-coast-face-a-double-threat-as-sea-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea-level rise</a>, but also on inland metro areas where land subsidence poses an overlooked threat to infrastructure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ground-can-t-keep-up">The ground can’t keep up</h2>



Study lead author Leonard Ohenhen, a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://lamont.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory</a>, elaborated on the findings. 



“As cities continue to grow, we will see more cities expand into subsiding regions. Over time, this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-billion-people-are-threatened-by-land-subsidence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subsidence</a> can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit.”



Cities like Jakarta, Venice, and New Orleans are already known for sinking under their own weight or rising seas. This new study takes a broader look at the United States, using highly detailed data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millions-living-on-sinking-ground">Millions living on sinking ground</h2>



In all U.S. cities with populations over 600,000, the researchers used recent satellite data to map vertical land movement with millimeter precision, using grids just 28 meters (about 90 feet) wide. 



The experts found that in 25 of the 28 cities, at least two-thirds of the land area is sinking. In total, about 34 million Americans live on these subsiding lands.



Houston emerged as the fastest-sinking major city. More than 40% of its area is sinking by over 5 millimeters (about one-fifth of an inch) per year, with 12% subsiding at twice that rate. In some areas, the ground is dropping as much as 5 centimeters (2 inches) per year.



Fort Worth and Dallas also show high rates, while other fast-sinking zones include areas near New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-texas-faces-added-risks">Texas faces added risks</h2>



In most cases, the primary driver is massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-depletion-is-accelerating-but-it-is-not-inevitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groundwater</a> extraction. Pumping water from underground aquifers causes the fine-grained sediments to compact. This collapse of pore spaces leads to sinking land above.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/biggest-US-cities_Houston_sinking-rapidly_credit-Nature-Ciites_1m-scaled.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/biggest-US-cities_Houston_sinking-rapidly_credit-Nature-Ciites_1s.webp" alt="Houston, Texas, is the nation's fastest-sinking city, with parts of it sinking 10 millimeters per year. Credit: Adapted from Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities, 2025" class="wp-image-1969072"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston, Texas, is the nation's fastest-sinking city, with parts of it sinking 10 millimeters per year. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Adapted from Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities, 2025</figcaption></figure>



In Texas, the issue is compounded by oil and gas extraction, the study notes. Climate change-induced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-the-driving-force-behind-droughts/">droughts</a>, combined with continued population growth and water use, are likely to intensify these effects in the coming years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-age-is-still-shaping-land">Ice age is still shaping land</h2>



Humans are not responsible for all of the sinking ground. Some subsidence is the result of natural processes dating back thousands of years.



The study highlights lingering effects from the last ice age. The immense weight of ancient ice sheets caused the surrounding land to bulge upward, like air squeezed in a balloon.



Today, long after the ice has melted, some of these bulges are still slowly sinking. Cities affected include New York, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Nashville, Chicago, Denver, and Portland.



Even the sheer weight of buildings may be playing a role. A 2023 <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-york-city-is-sinking-under-its-own-weight/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> suggested that the enormous mass of New York City’s one million-plus buildings is exerting pressure that may contribute to ongoing subsidence.



Similarly, a separate <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-miami-beach-surfside-building-collapse-438007b29e291eecb6ca953f0d55c248" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> in the Miami area found that some buildings are sinking partly due to subsurface disruptions caused by nearby construction projects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-america-s-sinking-hotspots">America’s sinking hotspots</h2>



Eight major cities - New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Dallas - account for over 60% of the people living on sinking land. 



Since 2000, these cities have collectively experienced over 90 major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-outrun-the-flood-risks-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">floods</a>, some likely worsened by sinking ground.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/biggest-US-cities-are-sinking_credit-Nature-Cities_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/biggest-US-cities-are-sinking_credit-Nature-Cities_1s.webp" alt="A new study using recent satellite data finds that all cities in the United States with populations of more than 600,000 are sinking to one degree or another. Credit: Adapted from Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities, 2025" class="wp-image-1969074"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A new study using recent satellite data finds that all cities in the United States with populations of more than 600,000 are sinking to one degree or another. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Adapted from Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities, 2025</figcaption></figure>



An especially worrisome finding involves “differential motion,” where some neighborhoods within a city are sinking faster or slower than others, or even rising due to rapid aquifer recharge near rivers or water sources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thousands-of-buildings-at-risk">Thousands of buildings at risk</h2>



While overall land movement might be slow, uneven changes create stresses that can tilt buildings and damage infrastructure.



The study estimates that about 1% of total land area in the 28 cities lies in zones where differential motion could significantly affect roads, railways, or buildings.



These zones are often in densely populated urban cores, affecting roughly 29,000 buildings. San Antonio faces the highest risk, with about one in 45 buildings potentially affected - followed by Austin, Fort Worth, and Memphis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-cities-can-respond">How cities can respond</h2>



Though the scale of the issue is daunting, the authors stress that solutions are within reach. For flood-prone areas, land raising, better drainage, and green infrastructure like artificial wetlands help manage excess water.



For cities facing risks from tilting, solutions might include retrofitting buildings, updating building codes to account for ground movement, and limiting new development in the most affected zones.



“As opposed to just saying it’s a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,” Ohenhen said. “We have to move to solutions.”



An earlier study of 225 U.S. building collapses from 1989 to 2000 found subsidence directly caused just 2% of cases. However, in 30% of cases, the cause was unknown - suggesting ground sinking may play a larger, hidden role, the study says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-acting-before-the-ground-sinks">Acting before the ground sinks</h2>



With detailed maps of sinking zones now available, cities have a chance to integrate this knowledge into urban planning, infrastructure design, and disaster preparedness.



As the pressures of climate change, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-population-will-peak-at-10-3-billion-by-2085/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population growth</a>, and resource use continue to rise, understanding the ground beneath our feet may be just as critical as managing the forces above.



The new research serves as both a warning and a call to action, offering tools and knowledge that cities can use to protect residents and infrastructure before problems escalate further.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00240-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Cities</a>.



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Every major city in the U.S. is sinking, and some are dropping faster than others

A striking new study has found that all of the...

A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments.



The investigation, led by scientists at the <a href="https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona Health Sciences</a>, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure.



PFAS are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-made compounds</a> prized for stain, water, and flame resistance. They coat cookware, clothing, carpets, packaging, and industrial foams. Because their molecular bonds are hard to break, the chemicals linger in air, soil, and water for decades and build up in living tissues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-firefighters-exposure-to-forever-chemicals">Firefighters' exposure to forever chemicals</h2>



The researchers measured serum PFAS concentrations in 280 firefighters, 787 health care workers, and 734 employees from other trades. Blood was collected between 2018 and 2021. 



For most workers, PFAS totals declined by six to 17 percent each year, yet measurable levels remained in every group by the study’s end. Firefighters topped the charts for several compounds, including PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHpS. 



Health care workers ranked second overall and showed higher odds of two PFAS - Sb-PFOA and PFDoA - when compared with peers in other fields. They also had modest rises in PFHpS and PFUnA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-previous-research"><a></a>Clues from previous research</h2>



Study senior author Kate Ellingson is an associate professor at the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health</a>.



“Our study reinforces previous research showing elevated PFAS levels among firefighters and suggests that health care workers may have unique sources of PFAS exposure as well,” said Ellingson.



“Our findings underscore the need to understand occupational exposure pathways for PFAS among different types of workers.”



Firefighters have long been flagged for exposure because their protective clothing and the foams used to quench fuel fires contain PFAS. 



Less is known about how nurses, surgeons, or technicians come into contact with the chemicals. Single-use gowns, surgical masks, sterile wraps, and even X-ray film may contribute, but few studies have investigated those items.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-linked-to-forever-chemicals">Health risks linked to forever chemicals </h2>



Study co-author Jeff Burgess is the director of the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/about/centers-institutes/center-firefighter-health-collaborative-research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research</a>.



“Almost all adults in the U.S. have detectable levels of certain PFAS, and people in occupations with more frequent exposure to PFAS-containing materials have been shown to exhibit higher serum concentrations of some PFAS,” said Burgess. 



“Research into occupational exposure to PFAS is vital to reduce the health risks associated with PFAS, including but not limited to increases in rates of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-in-tap-water-increase-cancer-risk-by-up-to-33/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancers</a>, increases in cholesterol levels, lower antibody response to certain immunizations, and increased rates of certain adverse reproductive outcomes.”



Although scientists are still mapping dose-response relationships, mounting evidence ties long-term PFAS exposure to thyroid dysfunction, immune suppression, and reproductive harm, as well as kidney, prostate, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-link-between-elephant-testicle-temperature-and-cancer-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testicular cancers</a>. That makes the new data especially relevant for workers who already confront other job-related dangers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pfas-in-health-care-settings">PFAS in health care settings</h2>



“To date, PFAS exposure in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-space-agencies-can-help-address-healthcare-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health care</a> settings has not been widely studied, and the potential sources of exposure remain unclear,” Ellingson said. He also noted that single-use surgical masks, surgical gowns, and X-ray film could be potential sources of PFAS exposure.



“Therefore, it’s important to further examine specific exposure routes and health consequences for firefighters and health care workers.”



The researchers suggest that manufacturers, hospitals, and fire departments audit supply chains to identify products treated with PFAS. Substituting safer materials where possible - and improving decontamination practices when replacement is not feasible - could lower cumulative dose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoiding-pfas-exposure">Avoiding PFAS exposure</h2>



Many PFAS formulas have been phased out in the United States, yet older stockpiles and imported goods keep the chemicals in circulation. 



The authors call for expanded monitoring of occupational exposures, stronger regulation of PFAS in consumer products and more public funding for exposure-reduction programs.



They also urge longitudinal studies to track how changing equipment or policies alters blood levels over time. Because PFAS can stay in the body for years, measuring declines after interventions will help pinpoint which strategies work best.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-exposure-beyond-firefighters">Chemical exposure beyond firefighters </h2>



The Arizona results echo national surveys showing widespread but uneven PFAS contamination. They also highlight chemical exposure gaps: firefighters remain the most researched group, while other frontline roles - from paramedics to factory workers - receive far less attention.



By bringing health care personnel into the spotlight, the new study widens the search for hidden chemical risks at work. As communities push to remove PFAS from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water supplies</a> and household goods, understanding workplace exposures becomes equally urgent.



The current findings provide a starting map - and a reminder that protecting those who protect the rest of us means looking beyond the obvious dangers of heat, smoke, and infection to the quieter threat of “forever chemicals.”



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00753-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Exposure Science &amp; Environmental Epidemiology</a>.



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Firefighters face elevated exposure to forever chemicals

A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that...

It can be hard to tell when unusual weather turns into our everyday climate. That moment, called time of emergence, is drawing closer in the Arctic, prompting fresh questions about how the world will adapt.



Scientists at the University of Groningen and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (<a href="https://www.knmi.nl/over-het-knmi/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KNMI</a>) have identified when familiar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-plant-alert-rising-shrubs-and-vanishing-meadows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a> markers like temperature and sea ice might lock into a new state. 



The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96607-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> point to big changes within a few decades, so people who live and work there may need to start preparing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-shifts-in-the-arctic-climate">Tracking shifts in the Arctic climate </h2>



One method uses multiple climate models to track <a href="https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/warming-climate-system-unequivocal-highlights-fourth-ipcc-assessment-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea ice thickness</a> and other trends. Each model compares what’s happening now to what happened from 1850 to 1949, then checks when the data step beyond that older range.



In many areas, temperature changes land earlier than shifts in precipitation. This detail matters for people who depend on stable ice or clear skies for hunting, travel, and fishing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-arctic-ice-signals-climate-change">How Arctic ice signals climate change</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-meltdown-is-accelerating-global-warming-already-changing-earth-in-unimaginable-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a> waters freeze and thaw each year in dramatic cycles. But the thickness of that ice is often the most important clue for climate shifts. This is because big changes in thickness can happen even when the ice still covers large areas.



Thin ice can flip a region from stable and predictable to something far trickier. It also affects local wildlife and hunting routes, which sets off a ripple effect for nearby communities.



Several models suggest the shift for temperature and sea ice might happen by the middle of this century. Rainfall and overall wetness could land in a new normal closer to the end of the century.



This difference in timing highlights how varied the Arctic can be. Some parts of the Central Arctic are already seeing distinct changes, while others might still be waiting decades for any permanent shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-climate-predictions">Arctic climate predictions</h2>



Study co-author Richard Bintanja is a professor of climate and environmental change at the <a href="https://www.rug.nl/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Groningen</a>.



“We were excited to see that we were able to estimate ToE in a consistent and robust way. The next step is to apply these insights in society, policy, and ecology,” noted Bintanja.



The suggestions come at a time when the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/ArcticIce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic’s warming rate</a> is more than double that of many other places on Earth. Locals feel the effects of this rapid warming when ice travel becomes uncertain and permafrost thaws in ways that threaten buildings and roadways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-on-people-and-nature">Impact on people and nature</h2>



Indigenous groups who fish along shifting coasts watch shorelines erode from storms once tamed by thicker ice. Others must adjust hunting schedules as new temperature patterns push migratory animals to different routes.



Such changes go beyond the ups and downs of a single season. Permanent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drastic-warming-will-transform-the-arctic-beyond-recognition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shifts</a> in temperature and moisture can affect how communities develop housing, manage health concerns, and protect roads or runways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-to-changing-arctic-conditions">Adapting to changing Arctic conditions</h2>



Arctic policy planners often rely on temperature and ice predictions to set safety rules. If scientists forecast an ice-free shipping route by a certain year, shipping agencies might prepare new schedules or invest in port upgrades.



Local groups also keep an eye on precipitation. Unexpected rain can create slippery slopes or break up coastal ice. 



A better understanding of when steady rain replaces lighter snow can help communities plan for floods or freeze-thaw cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-impacts-across-the-arctic">Climate impacts across the Arctic </h2>



The Central Arctic is not the only area feeling the heat. In the Barents Sea, the thinner ice has already set an earlier countdown for a different climate.



Elsewhere, thick <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-may-fuel-the-spread-of-diseases-by-unleashing-frozen-viruses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> persists into colder months, which delays the shift for sea ice extent. Differences like these complicate any simple one-size-fits-all plan.



Shrinking ice might open some economic doors, such as easier oil or gas access, but that also raises environmental and social concerns. In areas where wildlife serves as a food source, any large disturbance can threaten the well-being of families.



Rain and snow trends will shape everything from reindeer herding to coastal storm damage. Some experts point out that boosting resilience now may lower costs down the road.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-arctic-climate-changes">Preparing for Arctic climate changes</h2>



Though the Arctic often leads global warming headlines, its swings in temperature and precipitation can mask long-term changes. This high variability means time of emergence arrives when the data consistently breaches older extremes for at least 10 years.



Policymakers and scientists aim to use these predictions to help communities design infrastructure that stays intact despite uncertain conditions. 



More robust roads, flexible building designs, and long-term planning for water management could all stand between a smooth future and a rocky one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-for-ecosystems">Significance for ecosystems</h2>



Melting sea ice disturbs fish habitats and can alter the timing of plankton blooms. That in turn affects seabirds, mammals, and other species.



When rainfall rises, marshy conditions may form in once-dry spots, reshaping feeding grounds for animals like migrating birds. A thorough understanding of these knock-on effects can be vital for ecosystem-based management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-climate-predictions-0">Arctic climate predictions</h2>



Climate models often leave room for doubt, considering that each model can differ slightly in its predictions. But the large mix of global models used here helps narrow those ranges and reduce the uncertainty.



Regional detail is another strength of the study. Each part of the Arctic demands a closer lens, since local features can speed up or slow down how quickly conditions tip into a different climate.



Accurate predictions help communities time their strategies and avoid harsh surprises. Whether it’s building on safer ground or designing better seasonal routes, knowledge of these changes helps to promote stability.



The strong changes in the Arctic can still catch everyone off guard. Tools like time of emergence show that slow transformations can one day feel quite sudden.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96607-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Arctic climate will permanently change by 2050, scientists warn

It can be hard to tell when unusual weather turns...

Small,Puddle,Of,Melted,White,Snow,In,The,Warm,Spring

Ski slopes and winter wonderlands are changing faster than many expected. Researchers have been noticing a shift in global snow patterns for decades, but recent analyses point to a worrying surge in low-snow conditions, known as snow droughts. 



Scientists warn that these seasonal shortfalls could hold big implications for drinking water supplies and irrigation.



They also highlight how temperature patterns can change precipitation into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/megadroughts-are-becoming-more-frequent-and-severe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain</a> instead of snow when the air is warmer. This research was led by Li Zhi from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the <a href="http://english.egi.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-growing-threat-to-water-supplies">A growing threat to water supplies</h2>



A snow drought happens when snowpack is abnormally low for the season. It may be "dry" due to lower winter precipitation or "warm" because temperatures prevent snowfall or speed up melting.



Warm and dry conditions can blend, forming dry-warm compound events that create serious trouble for farming, hydroelectric power, and drinking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> supplies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-snow-droughts-form">How snow droughts form</h2>



Greenhouse gases raise air temperatures and affect storm tracks across many latitudes. This <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2025GL114641" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">causes</a> more precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow, which lowers snowpack levels and speeds up snowmelt.



Some <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323523846_Dramatic_declines_in_snowpack_in_the_western_US">research</a> indicates that global warming is already shifting snow seasons earlier, leaving many mid- and high-latitude regions with shorter, patchier periods of snow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-snow-drought-predictions-by-2100">Future snow drought predictions by 2100</h2>



“By 2100, snow drought frequency could triple under the intermediate SSP2-4.5 scenario and quadruple under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario,” said Li Zhi.



Other <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370992524_Evolution_of_global_snow_droughts_characteristics_from_1850_to_2100" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> reveals that warm snow droughts could become the dominant form in future decades, outpacing dry cases in many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regions</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regional-impacts-and-risks">Regional impacts and risks</h2>



Mid-latitude areas, including certain parts of North America and Eurasia, appear to be at greater risk for heavier impacts. Past modeling experiments suggest that some mountainous regions in the <a href="https://www.mines.edu/undergraduate-research/assessing-snow-drought-extent-across-the-western-us-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">western U.S.</a> might see a snow drought frequency increase from 6.6% to 42% under higher emissions.



These changes may upset local agriculture, since winter snowpack often acts as a natural reservoir that gradually releases water in spring and early summer. Less snow means less water stored for crops and hydroelectric needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-snow-droughts-threaten-power-and-food">How snow droughts threaten power and food</h2>



Snow isn't just about scenery - it’s a critical water source for hydropower. When snowpack shrinks, it can slash electricity generation in mountain-fed regions like the Pacific Northwest and parts of Asia.



Less snow also creates big problems for irrigation. Crops that depend on steady spring runoff, like rice, wheat, and orchard fruits, may suffer from reduced yields or failed harvests in drought-prone years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-snow-droughts-are-hard-to-spot">Why snow droughts are hard to spot</h2>



Snow droughts don’t always get noticed right away. Unlike rain shortages, the effects of missing snow may take months to show up.



Water supplies might look normal in winter, only to fall short by late spring or summer when snowmelt usually kicks in. That lag makes it harder for cities and farmers to react in time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-security-risks-linked-to-snow-droughts">Water security risks linked to snow droughts</h2>



A warming climate is changing how much snow accumulates and when it melts. Cities and farms downstream of major mountain ranges could see water shortages or they must scramble to update water storage infrastructure.



Increased variability also challenges flood management. If more precipitation arrives as rain, rivers might swell quickly in winter months, prompting new <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL114775?af=R" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concerns</a> over dam operations and reservoir capacity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>



Experts stress the importance of refining climate models to better understand the timing and intensity of these droughts. Accurate forecasting can help decision-makers plan efficient strategies for storing water and preventing supply shocks.



Many research <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19447973/2025/61/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a> suggest a broad approach that includes water conservation, improved snowpack monitoring, and flexible infrastructure. These measures may help communities adapt to the growing possibility of more frequent snow droughts, including warm and dry-warm compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-will-wreak-havoc-on-mountain-ranges-as-warming-climate-turns-snow-to-rain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a>.



The study is published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL114641" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Snow droughts could quadruple by 2100, harming water supplies

Ski slopes and winter wonderlands are changing faster than many...

Climate scientists say rising temperatures can reduce the availability and nutritional quality of dairy grass. Producers then turn to alternative feeds, including corn-based silage, to maintain production.



In a recent investigation, Dr. Matthieu Bouchon, an expert at <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INRAE</a> - National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, studied how these changes in feeding practices influence both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-makes-dairy-cows-produce-less-milk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk</a> yield and the resulting cheese.



Dr. Bouchon was part of a team that analyzed nutritional profiles and taste notes across different feeding setups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-climate-change-affects-cow-feed">How climate change affects cow feed</h2>



Drought is bad news for many pasture-reliant farms. When rains fade, grass doesn’t grow as usual, so farmers scramble to bolster cow diets with stored feeds or more concentrated rations.



Climate impacts force them to get inventive. That often means adding more corn silage to keep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-animals-have-an-unexpected-role-in-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cows</a> in good shape, but it can lead to a drop in grass-based components that affect milk’s natural composition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grass-intake-and-dairy-nutrients">Grass intake and dairy nutrients</h2>



Farmers are keen on maximizing nutrients in milk. The study team discovered a strong tie between higher grass intake and better fatty acid content.



“The results showed that the more grass the cows ate, the richer the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-paves-the-way-for-climate-conscious-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk</a> and cheese were in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to human health,” stated Dr. Bouchon.



Switching to corn-based rations can still yield a decent amount of milk. Yet the subtle nutritional goodies in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16960079/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grass</a> may slip away if it becomes a minor part of the diet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cow-feed-changes-cheese">Cow feed changes cheese </h2>



Consumers often favor the special shade and softness of artisanal cheese. Grass helps deliver that yellowish tinge and a smoother, melt-in-the-mouth feel.



“Cows fed on grazed grass produced smoother, yellower, more aromatic cheeses, while cows fed little to no grass produce whiter, firmer cheeses with milder flavors,” said Dr. Bouchon.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distinct-flavors-of-cheese">Distinct flavors of cheese</h2>



Minimizing fresh grass in a herd’s diet can make the final dairy product less appealing. This outcome matters not just for foodies but also for farmers marketing distinctive <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5867552/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cheeses</a>.



Many shoppers pick grass-fed labels expecting distinct flavors. When producers reduce fresh grass in favor of silage or hay, the cheese may lose that familiar aroma.



A cheese that once tasted bold or slightly grassy can end up with a blander profile. Texture often changes too, as the fats and proteins shift under modified feeding patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-worries-for-farmers">Practical worries for farmers</h2>



Dairy farms run on slim profit margins. Any slip in milk yield or cheese appeal can hurt business, but ignoring drought conditions isn’t an option either.



Balancing feed mixes becomes a juggling act. More grass means tastier cheese, but a parched field can’t always supply what's needed, so producers face a hard call.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feed-changes-affect-cow-digestion">Feed changes affect cow digestion</h2>



Each feed ingredient, whether hay or silage, can affect <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-00974-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbiota</a> inside a cow’s rumen. This intricate environment helps break down cellulose and produce nutrients for the cow.



If farmers switch abruptly to corn-based rations, the cow’s digestive system may take time to adjust. Subtle changes in the rumen can ripple through to the milk in surprising ways.



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



Nobody wants a rubbery or flavorless cheese on their plate. Folks who appreciate artisanal dairy should keep an eye on how climate issues and diet adjustments shape their favorite products.



While these shifts might not stand out in mass-produced cheese, small-scale operations often rely on the tastes derived from high-grass diets. Flavor can be a big selling point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feeding-strategies-influence-dairy-yield-nbsp">Feeding strategies influence dairy yield&nbsp;</h2>



Herd nutrition is more complicated than many realize. Different cows have varying needs depending on genetics, lactation stage, and climate conditions.



Producers factor in how each feed ingredient influences both milk quantity and milk quality. These trade-offs can make or break the end product’s sensory profile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-cow-feed-to-drought-conditions">Adapting cow feed to drought conditions</h2>



Some farmers are testing new grass varieties said to handle hot spells better. Others look at advanced grazing strategies or water conservation tactics to maintain fields during dry months.



At the same time, research teams share data to guide farmers on how best to tweak feed ingredients. The aim is to protect both milk output and that prized cheese taste.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preserving-dairy-grass">Preserving dairy grass </h2>



Shoppers see words like omega-3 on labels but don’t always know how production methods affect those nutrients. Many prefer products that combine solid nutrition with a pleasing taste, color, and aroma.



Farmers who manage to preserve grass can maintain that balance. Even modest amounts of fresh forage appear helpful to keep cheese palatable and nutritionally robust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-the-pasture">Beyond the pasture</h2>



Climate concerns won’t vanish overnight. Researchers are tracking how these feeding adjustments ripple across entire food chains, from soil microbes to final cheese properties.



While not every farm can rely on grass alone, preserving its presence seems vital for those aiming for standout cheese. This is especially true for dairy regions with a cultural heritage tied to lush fields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dairy-production-amid-climate-change">Dairy production amid climate change</h2>



With each passing year, dryness threatens more farmland. Creative solutions and careful ration decisions may hold the key to maintaining the hallmark traits that grass-based cheeses are known for.



Ongoing research may soon offer farmers new strategies to keep cows healthy while reducing their environmental impact. Whether large or small, dairy producers must continue to adapt to meet these evolving challenges.



The study is published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S002203022500092X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Dairy Science</a>.



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Popular types of cheese are beginning to taste different due to what cows are eating

Climate scientists say rising temperatures can reduce the availability and...

The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and click on our electronic devices rarely enters daily conversation, yet the metal keeps digital life running, then eventually turn into landfills full of toxic e-waste. 



From the contacts in a phone jack to the chips inside a smartwatch, gold moves electrons smoothly and shrugs off corrosion. 



Mining more, however, blasts mountains, drains rivers, and spews carbon. With the global appetite for electronics still climbing, attention has turned to the growing junkyard of cast‑off gadgets.



E‑waste is now the quickest‑rising waste stream on the planet - roughly 63 million short tons in 2024 according to <a href="https://www.unep.org/ietc/what-we-do/e-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations estimates</a> - and only a small share gets recycled in certified facilities. 



Most of our old electronics end up in landfills or backyard workshops, which then leak metals into the groundwater, creating toxic brews. A cleaner strategy is to reclaim precious metals safely before our devices make their way into the garbage heaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cheese-e-waste-and-gold">Cheese, e-waste, and gold</h2>



A research team is now working to change that script. Professor Raffaele Mezzenga at <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> and senior scientist Mohammad Peydayesh assembled colleagues in search of a simpler tool than acid vats or cyanide baths. Their unlikely inspiration bubbles up in cheese factories.



Cheese makers separate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cottage-cheese-is-making-a-comeback-due-to-its-nutritional-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">curds from whey</a>, leaving behind nearly nine pounds of watery by‑product for every pound of cheddar. Whey is rich in proteins that twist into hair‑thin amyloid fibrils when warmed in acid. 



The Zurich group realized those fibrils could be coaxed into a feather‑light sponge that prefers gold over the other metals lurking in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shredded phones and laptops</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-a-cheesy-twist-to-golden-e-waste">Adding a cheesy twist to golden e-waste</h2>



The researchers stirred the fibrils into a gel, then dried it into an aerogel - think Styrofoam’s airiness on a nanoscale. Microscopic pores criss‑cross the material, offering miles of surface area inside a crumb‑sized cube. 



When a slice of this sponge meets a beaker filled with dissolved circuit boards, gold ions rush toward the proteins and cling tightly.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Credit: Advanced Materials" class="wp-image-1968796"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Advanced Materials</figcaption></figure>



Early trials showed the aerogel collecting a far higher share of gold than plastic resins that recyclers often use. Better yet, the process skips noxious solvents. 



Water, moderate heat, and the natural chemistry of protein do the heavy lifting, which slashes both hazard and cost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aerogel-and-a-protein-sponge">Aerogel and a protein sponge</h2>



For a head‑to‑head laboratory test, the team stripped metal parts from twenty <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discarded computer motherboards</a>, dissolved them in acid, and dropped in a fingernail‑sized piece of aerogel. 



Copper, nickel, and cobalt swirled in the brew, yet gold ions settled on the sponge far more efficiently. After a short soak, the solution cleared, signaling that most of the precious metal had left the liquid.



Numbers tell the story. The sponge drew out gold that was about 90.8 percent pure - close to 22‑karat jewelry - on its first pass. Competing adsorbents usually require extra purification steps to reach similar purity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-e-waste-ions-to-gold-nuggets">From e-waste ions to gold nuggets</h2>



Pulling ions from solution is useful; turning them back into solid metal is crucial. The Zurich group warmed the loaded sponge until the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold ions</a> shed their charge and merged into shimmering flakes. 



Heating continued until the flakes fused into a nugget weighing roughly 450 milligrams. Chemical analysis showed the lump was 91 percent gold and 9 percent copper, again hitting the mark for 22 carats.



This step also freed the protein skeleton. Burned away under controlled heat, the whey‑derived matrix leaves no synthetic residue, easing cleanup. Conventional resin beds cannot claim the same neat exit.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic" class="wp-image-1968794"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic</figcaption></figure>



Recycling lives or dies on the balance sheet. Here the math looks encouraging. 



Procurement and energy costs for the entire operation are about fifty times lower than the market value of the gold retrieved. Even after accounting for labor and overhead, that margin hints at solid profit for commercial recyclers.



Lower operating costs open doors for smaller regional plants. Instead of shipping obsolete electronics overseas, communities could process them nearby, cutting transportation emissions and keeping revenue local.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-e-waste-has-more-than-just-gold">e-Waste has more than just gold</h2>



Gold steals headlines, yet the technique need not stop there. By tweaking pH or tailoring the protein structure, the same sort of sponge could sort copper, cobalt, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-captured-on-video-forming-out-of-thin-air-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">palladium</a> - metals vital for batteries and sensors. 



The team is already experimenting with pea‑protein waste from plant‑based milk production and collagen from fish scales. Success would guard against supply bottlenecks tied to a single dairy stream.



E‑waste is not the only target. Industrial rinse water from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-defeats-a-supercomputer-in-crucial-annealing-optimization-task/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microchip fabrication</a> and gold‑plating shops also carries trace metals worth reclaiming. A modular protein sponge could slip into those lines, trimming costs and curbing runoff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taking-the-next-steps">Taking the next steps</h2>



“The fact I love the most is that we’re using a food industry byproduct to obtain gold from electronic waste,” Mezzenga says. In a very real sense, the method transforms two waste products into gold. “You can’t get much more sustainable than that!”



If pilot projects scale as hoped, tomorrow’s recycling centers may sit beside creameries and food processors, quietly turning yesterday’s whey and last decade’s gadgets into tomorrow’s circuit traces. 



The approach will not halt mining overnight, but every recovered ounce delays a blast, a slurry pond, or a diesel haul truck. 



That shift, multiplied across millions of phones and laptops, offers a straightforward path toward lighter footprints and longer‑lived resources - no new mountains required.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202310642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Materials</a>.



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Invention turns e-waste into 22-carat gold nuggets instead of toxic trash

The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and...

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often in ways less obvious than bulldozing forests. Frequent mowing, pesticide use, and habitat loss converge to create a hostile landscape for countless insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>.



Now, a research team from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (<a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JMU</a>) has thrown new light on just how severe the damage really is.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insect-decline-in-farmlands">Insect decline in farmlands</h2>



In Bavaria, a team led by Professor Jörg Müller wanted to look past assumptions. From forests to farmland, the researchers studied 400 insect families. But they didn’t just count what they saw.



They used DNA metabarcoding - a technique that scans genetic material from environmental samples. Combined with precise statistical tools, this allowed the team to detect not only the insects themselves but also the hidden patterns in their decline.



The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, revealed a stark contrast between agricultural and near-natural habitats. What they found changes the story on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect</a> loss - and sharpens its urgency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-and-insect-diversity">Farming and insect diversity</h2>



The researchers used Malaise traps to catch insects from a range of environments. Farmland samples, surprisingly, gave the clearest data. 



These landscapes, open and simplified, make it easier to catch and identify insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>. Yet even with this advantage, the results were grim.



After adjusting for how completely each sample captured the existing diversity, the researchers recorded a 44 percent decline in total insect species diversity on farmland. 



This isn’t a seasonal dip. It’s a structural collapse, cutting across species lines. Farmland has become less of a home for insects and more of a barrier to their survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unseen-collapse-in-insects">Unseen collapse in insects</h2>



Counting species wasn’t enough. The team introduced a new method to standardize how completely each habitat’s insect community had been sampled. That meant creating fair comparisons across very different environments.



They filtered out sequencing errors, focused on real trends in species presence, and sharpened the lens on insect biodiversity. 



The method accounted for both how many different kinds of insects were present (taxonomic diversity) and how distantly related those insects were from one another (phylogenetic diversity).



What they saw was not just fewer insects - but fewer kinds of insect lineages, going back through evolutionary time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-erases-insect-history">Farming erases insect history</h2>



When insects disappear, ecosystems don’t just lose pollinators or prey. They lose deep genetic history. The JMU team found nearly a 30% reduction in evolutionary diversity in farmland <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a>.



This means entire branches of the insect family tree are vanishing - lineages shaped over millions of years, wiped away in a few decades. Such a loss affects ecosystem resilience, narrowing the genetic pool that might once have buffered against future environmental shifts.



"This study underscores the urgent need for biodiversity-sensitive land use. A continued decline in insect diversity could have far-reaching consequences for the health and stability of ecosystems," stated Dr. Mareike Kortmann, the study’s lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biodiversity-crisis-in-agriculture">Biodiversity crisis in agriculture</h2>



Forests and semi-natural habitats still support varied insect life. They offer shade, cover, and food webs rich with interactions. Agricultural lands, in contrast, have become biodiversity hotspots in reverse. Instead of buzzing life, they teem with absence.



Dominant insect species - those you’d expect to be hardy survivors - are dropping fastest in taxonomic diversity. 



Meanwhile, rare species face a deeper erasure. Their entire evolutionary lineages are disappearing. Farmland is not just hostile to insects. It’s selectively erasing their past, present, and future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-needed-for-insects">Action needed for insects</h2>



This study introduced a powerful new toolkit for understanding insect decline and extinction. By combining genetic analysis, statistical rigor, and evolutionary context, researchers can now draw a clearer map of biodiversity loss and fragmentation.



But the view it reveals is bleak. Knowing more means little if it doesn’t drive action. The researchers call for focused conservation efforts - especially in farmlands where both common and rare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-farming-insect-waste-reshapes-soil-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a> edge closer to disappearance.



They have made the warning unmistakable. The question now: will we change course before the silence spreads?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2927" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B Biological Sciences</a>.



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Modern farming is causing many insect species to collapse

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often...

Glaciers can serve as giant archives of what is floating around in our atmosphere. They accumulate carbon and other matter carried by the wind, and preserve it in frozen layers for decades or even centuries.



Experts have found that these icy landscapes offer special insight into <a href="https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Anthropogenic_carbon_emissions">anthropogenic carbon</a>, which is carbon introduced by human activities like burning fossil fuels.



A team of researchers led by Amy Holt from the <a href="https://uas.alaska.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Southeast</a> has uncovered details about these contributions by sampling meltwater from ten glaciers in Alaska, Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, and Ecuador.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-reveal-carbon-clues">Glaciers reveal carbon clues </h2>



Each glacier examined in the study had outflows carrying dissolved organic matter. This includes <a href="https://www.ccacoalition.org/short-lived-climate-pollutants/black-carbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black carbon</a>, which is the black residue left from fires and fossil fuel combustion.



Glaciers are different from forests or fields because they do not store large amounts of soil or vegetation. Scientists can therefore see how much carbon is deposited from the air, without much interference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-carbon-sources-in-meltwater">Identifying carbon sources in meltwater</h2>



Carbon arrives in glaciers from several sources. Some samples showed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169424001409" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">isotopic signals</a> that indicated older, fossil-fuel-derived material, while others pointed to younger carbon that is often linked to biomass burning.



Working out the right proportions of each source meant looking at <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9805314/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiocarbon ages</a>. Older signatures correlated with high levels of carbon from ancient geologic deposits, which is a strong sign of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-release-vast-quantities-of-unknown-microbes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil fuel</a> impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-differences-across-glaciers">Carbon differences across glaciers</h2>



Alaskan glaciers had more fossil-fuel-derived material in their meltwater. In Ecuador, the researchers noted a larger chunk of carbon from wildfires and microbial growth on the glacier surface.



This variation highlights the link between local pollution sources and the ice. One glacier might collect emissions from heavy industry while another picks up carbon from regional forest fires.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-carbon-moves">How carbon moves</h2>



Anthropogenic carbon contributed anywhere from 12% to 91% of the total carbon found in glacier outflows. The precise percentage depends on where the glacier sits and how air currents carry pollutants.



Sooty particles do not just darken the ice. They can get carried by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-could-run-out-of-water-if-glaciers-continue-to-melt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meltwater</a> into downstream ecosystems, where they may enter food chains or affect water chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-chemistry-matters">Why the chemistry matters</h2>



The researchers discovered that chemical structures in glacier outflows shift when fossil fuel sources dominate. These shifts can change how easily the carbon is used by living things downstream.



Some carbon compounds remain in streams and rivers, while others might break down more quickly. The presence or absence of certain molecules can shape the balance of nutrients in aquatic habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-s-role-in-earth-s-cycles">Carbon’s role in Earth’s cycles</h2>



These findings add to knowledge about <a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/earth-system/biogeochemical-cycles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biogeochemical cycles</a>, which study how elements like carbon move through living and nonliving parts of Earth. Even remote, high-altitude glaciers are not immune to human activity.



Carbon that was once locked away underground is making its way into icy landscapes. That same carbon then travels to river basins when ice melts, linking industrial emissions to food webs.



“We highlight that spatial variability in the deposition of anthropogenic fossil fuel combustion byproducts to glacier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> affects both the age and character of dissolved organic matter, likely influencing its fate,” said Holt, who was lead author of the study.



That perspective helps clarify the bigger picture. Each glacier becomes a window into how far pollution travels and how old sources of carbon can keep circulating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-traces-in-meltwater">Carbon traces in meltwater</h2>



Scientists commonly analyze surface ice for soot buildup. Fewer have examined dissolved black carbon and other molecular traces in outflow streams.



This shift in approach allows them to see what type of carbon flows away from the glacier. It also highlights the different forms that carbon can take once it leaves the ice.



Fossil fuels contain carbon that formed millions of years ago, so they leave an older isotopic signature. Wildfires, on the other hand, release carbon from plants and recent organic matter.



Some glaciers gather both ancient and modern carbon. Others tilt toward one type, reflecting local pollution patterns or repeated fires near their source regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microscopic-life-on-glaciers">Microscopic life on glaciers</h2>



Tiny organisms live on glacier surfaces, and feed on whatever nutrients they can find. They can create organic compounds that also wind up in meltwater.



In some regions, microbial production plays a larger role in dissolved organic matter. The study indicated that glacial streams in Ecuador held more fresh, microbially produced carbon.



Many local communities rely on glacial melt for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-threaten-global-water-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking water</a>, agriculture, or hydropower. If the chemistry of that meltwater changes, it may carry unexpected pollutants downstream.



Fish and wildlife depend on these waterways too. Changes in carbon content might alter food availability for the smallest aquatic organisms; this effect can then ripple up the food chain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-look-at-tomorrow-s-glaciers">A look at tomorrow’s glaciers</h2>



As average temperatures rise, glaciers around the world continue to shrink. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-hidden-sources-of-greenhouse-gases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meltwater</a> rates may accelerate, possibly boosting the volume of anthropogenic carbon that enters rivers.



Understanding today’s levels of carbon will help researchers predict future shifts. If industrial emissions remain high, these icy reservoirs could see further changes in what they carry.



Glaciers do more than keep records of Earth’s past climate. They also show us how modern-day pollution spreads across continents and emerges in unexpected places.



Scientists intend to expand these studies to additional mountain ranges. They hope to see whether remote glaciers share the same patterns or if some remain relatively clean.



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



Future research may measure the fate of dissolved black carbon once it enters rivers. Some forms might break down, while others could linger or accumulate in lake sediments.



These next steps will deepen our understanding of how humanity’s energy choices connect to polar and alpine regions. Glaciers, despite their isolated appearance, reflect our global environmental footprint.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GB008359" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biogeochemical Cycles</a>.



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Carbon in glacier meltwater reveals pollution history

Glaciers can serve as giant archives of what is floating...

Human-caused climate change is already cutting lives short in the United States, and now scientists can attach a grim number to one key pathway. A new study shows that wildfire smoke intensified by climate change triggered about 15,000 additional deaths between 2006 and 2020.



The work, led by <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) researcher Bev Law, is the first to tie a death toll directly to climate-driven increases in fine particulate matter from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-is-deadlier-than-storms">Smoke is deadlier than storms</h2>



Wildfires emit PM2.5 - sooty particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers that slip deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream. 



Using climate projections, fire-behavior models, smoke-dispersion simulations, and county-level health data, the team found that wildfire PM2.5 killed an estimated 164,000 people in the lower forty-eight states during the 15-year window.



The researchers calculate that 15,000 of those lives were lost because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rising temperatures</a> and drier landscapes made fires larger or more intense. The average annual death rate came to 5.14 per 100,000 people - roughly twice the national rate from hurricanes and other tropical cyclones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-billions-lost-to-wildfire-smoke">Billions lost to wildfire smoke</h2>



The human cost is only part of the burden. Factoring in lost productivity, medical bills, and the federally accepted “value of a statistical life,” the researchers peg the economic damage from those extra smoke deaths at $160 billion.



“Without efforts to address climate change, wildfires and associated fine particulate matter will continue to increase,” said Law, professor emerita in the OSU College of Forestry. 



According to Professor Law, smoke-related deaths could climb at least 50% by mid-century and push annual damages to $244 billion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-western-u-s-is-hit-the-hardest">Western U.S. is hit the hardest</h2>



Although the analysis spans every county in the continental United States, the heaviest mortality and economic losses fell on California, Oregon, and Washington.



About 35% of the climate-linked deaths occurred in 2020 alone, a year dominated by California’s record fire season and the unprecedented Labor Day blazes that swept through the Pacific Northwest. Major fires in Colorado and Arizona added to the smoke plume that summer and fall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-a-hidden-killer">Tracking a hidden killer</h2>



Law’s group pulled together about 44,000 documented fire-smoke events dating back to 1958, then used the subset from 2006 onward to match modern satellite and ground-sensor coverage.



They fed those fire fingerprints into atmospheric transport models that estimate surface PM2.5 concentrations downwind. Finally, they applied health-risk functions from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Protection Agency</a> to translate the exposure into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fires-linked-to-1-53-million-deaths-per-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mortality</a>.



By rerunning the chain with and without the climate-induced boost in fire activity, the researchers isolated the share of deaths attributable to global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-erodes-air-quality-gains">Smoke erodes air-quality gains</h2>



For decades, regulators had chipped away at urban smog and tailpipe emissions, steadily lowering average PM2.5 across the nation. Wildfire smoke is reversing those gains.



The authors note that fires now account for almost half of all fine-particle pollution in the United States, a proportion likely to grow as hotter, drier summers extend burning seasons and speed up daily fire growth.



“Exposure to PM2.5 is a known cause of cardiovascular disease and is linked to the onset and worsening of respiratory illness,” Law said.



She pointed to climate fingerprints that have already increased fires: earlier snowmelt leaves forests drier by midsummer; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat waves</a> stress trees; and low humidity turns lightning ignitions into runaway blazes. Those same conditions are projected to intensify unless greenhouse-gas emissions fall sharply.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-more-smoke-deaths">Preventing more smoke deaths</h2>



The study arrives as fire-prone states weigh investments in forest thinning, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/controlled-fires-can-help-us-save-grasslands-from-disappearing/">prescribed burning</a>, and community protection.



By putting a dollar value on smoke mortality, the work gives lawmakers a fresh metric to compare against the price of mitigation. It also highlights the need for national strategies to alert vulnerable groups - such as people with heart or lung disease - when smoke plumes threaten.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-travels-nationwide">Smoke travels nationwide </h2>



While western states dominate the tally, the models show that smoke travels far, bringing elevated PM2.5 to the Midwest and even the East Coast on certain wind patterns.



Communities hundreds of miles from a flame front can still see emergency-room visits rise when fine-particle concentrations spike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-s-future-looks-worse">Smoke’s future looks worse</h2>



Law and colleagues plan to refine their estimates with newer satellite instruments and higher-resolution health data. They also hope to model how different climate-policy scenarios would change future smoke impacts.



Their message is stark though. The deaths tallied through 2020 reflect atmospheric conditions already locked in by past emissions. If warming continues on its present course, today’s lethal smoke seasons may soon look mild by comparison.



The study turns a statistical spotlight on a threat many people only smell or glimpse as a haze on the horizon. 



By counting lives lost to smoke intensified by climate change, the research underscores how quickly the abstract math of global warming translates into human tragedy  - and why cutting emissions now could spare thousands of lives in the decades to come.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-hit-a-record-high-in-2023/">Nature Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Climate change is making wildfire smoke more deadly

Human-caused climate change is already cutting lives short in the...

Emissions don’t just warm the planet - they’re also costing lives. By 2050, up to 250,000 deaths linked to air pollution could be prevented every year in central and western Europe. But this outcome hinges on one thing: strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.



That’s the key takeaway from a new study by atmospheric scientists at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leeds</a>. 



The research shows that the health benefits of climate action stretch well beyond lowering carbon footprints. They include better air quality and fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-in-six-deaths-in-2019-was-caused-by-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution-related deaths</a>, especially in poorer communities across Europe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-dangers-of-air-pollution">Hidden dangers of air pollution</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/135-million-people-died-prematurely-due-to-pm25-air-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air pollution</a> is a major health threat. It’s the biggest environmental risk factor for early death, contributing to around 8 million fatalities worldwide each year, according to the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.



The World Health Organization has warned that nearly every <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-in-99-percent-sea-turtles-organ-tissue-reproductive-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">organ</a> in the body can be affected by air pollution. Tiny particles can pass through the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing widespread inflammation and increasing the risk of cancer.



The list of health problems linked to dirty air is long. It includes strokes, heart disease, chronic lung diseases, cancer, pneumonia, diabetes, dementia, and even poor pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-emissions-to-save-lives">Cutting emissions to save lives</h2>



The research team examined Europe’s exposure to two key pollutants: fine particulate matter (which can deeply enter the lungs) and surface-level ozone (which forms when sunlight reacts with gases like nitrogen oxides). 



They used a detailed atmospheric model to simulate air quality in 2050 under three scenarios: low, medium, and high climate action.



The findings were clear. The more we reduce emissions, the more lives we save. But there’s another layer to the story. Poorer regions currently bear the brunt of air pollution. Stronger climate action can not only reduce overall deaths but also level the playing field.



A high level of action, which also included reductions in agricultural emissions, would lead to improvements in air quality across the continent as well as an improvement in equity and far larger reductions in mortality overall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-gains-from-emissions-cuts">Mapping the gains from emissions cuts</h2>



In 2014, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-air-pollution-levels-have-dropped-but-not-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air pollution levels</a> were highest in central and eastern Europe - places like southern Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Italy’s Po Valley.



Fast-forward to 2050 under a high-emissions-cutting scenario, and fine particulate matter falls sharply. Areas like southwest Germany and Paris could see up to a 90 percent drop.



Interestingly, a medium level of action - focusing more on housing, industry, and transport - provided the greatest benefits to low-income areas. That’s because these sectors heavily impact urban and working-class communities.



“The strategies that policymakers take to mitigate climate change will have considerable implications for human exposure to air quality, not least of which are the number of deaths,” said Connor Clayton, a PhD student in the School of Earth and Environment and the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures. 



“But they also urgently need to consider the persistent inequity of exposure between wealthier and more deprived populations which continues to be an issue even though air pollution has reduced across Europe.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-win-for-the-planet-and-public-health">A win for the planet and public health</h2>



The message is simple. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not just about the climate. It is about health, fairness, and saving lives - especially in places that need help the most.



“This work provides evidence that there are direct health benefits from moving towards a low carbon economy,” noted Dr Jim McQuaid, who led the research.



“Air pollutants and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate warming</a> gases and aerosols are one and the same, it is very much two sides of the same coin. It was particularly good to see that those who suffer most from air pollution currently benefit most from the benefits of the drive to a net zero world.”



As Europe plans its climate strategy, the study highlights a powerful opportunity. If policymakers take bold steps toward cutting emissions, they could protect public health and reduce long-standing social inequalities at the same time.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF005404" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Cutting emissions could save 250,000 lives a year in Europe

Emissions don’t just warm the planet - they’re also costing...

The relentless expansion of coastal megacities is reshaping the planet’s shorelines, often with dire consequences for marine life. These urban behemoths, thriving on global commerce, depend heavily on maritime transportation. 



Yet, the incessant movement of vessels through these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-coastal-cities-around-the-world-could-disappear-under-rising-seas-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waters</a> threatens marine ecosystems that once thrived undisturbed.



In a recent study, researchers turned their focus to China’s Greater Bay Area, encompassing Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. This region, home to around 86 million people, is the largest coastal megacity by population and the second-largest by economic output. 



However, the same waters that drive its prosperity are now at risk, as vessel traffic surges, impacting sensitive marine habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vessel-traffic-and-marine-ecosystems">Vessel traffic and marine ecosystems</h2>



On any given day, the Greater Bay Area hosts nearly 6,000 vessels, criss-crossing its waters. The Environmental Sustainability and Resilience Joint Centre (<a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/global/cuhkpartnership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ENSURE</a>) conducted an in-depth study to assess the extent of maritime traffic in this bustling region.



“We found that marine species are likely exposed to relentless presence of vessels,” noted Dr. Phil Doherty from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a>. 



The implications are severe. In shallow waters, propellers churn sediment, increasing turbidity and eroding shorelines. Noise pollution disrupts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-seas-are-already-toppling-coastal-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine communication</a>, while collisions pose direct threats to wildlife. 



These waters, once a sanctuary for endangered species, have become corridors of constant disturbance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-zones-under-siege">Conservation zones under siege</h2>



Conservation zones, designed to safeguard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-cities-will-spend-over-3-trillion-dollars-damages-from-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine life</a>, are now under siege. The study revealed that certain hotspots in the Greater Bay Area experienced disturbances on 95% of days during the study period. Despite their protected status, these areas remain vulnerable to vessel traffic, which shows no signs of slowing.



“With Hong Kong and Shenzhen hosting the busiest port in the world, the relentless pace of economic growth and development is taking a toll on the marine ecosystem,” said Dr. Felix Leung from the <a href="https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese University of Hong Kong</a>.



This statement encapsulates the conflict - economic progress continues to rise, but at the expense of ecological stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shallow-waters-face-severe-impact">Shallow waters face severe impact</h2>



Eighty percent of vessel traffic in the Greater Bay Area occurs in waters less than 20 meters deep. 



The density of vessels in these shallow zones amplifies their impact, exacerbating erosion and disrupting vulnerable habitats like seagrass beds, coral reefs, and coastal wetlands.



Fishing vessels concentrate their activity around the southwestern tip of Lantau Island, forming dense clusters that overlap with key conservation areas. Meanwhile, non-fishing vessels dominate the shipping lanes, linking Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Macau. 



According to the study, non-fishing vessels outnumber fishing vessels by a ratio of nearly ten to one, intensifying the strain on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine</a> ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-endangered-marine-species-face-new-threats">Endangered marine species face new threats</h2>



The Greater Bay Area’s waters serve as a vital refuge for several endangered species, including the Chinese white dolphin and the finless porpoise. These species, already threatened by habitat loss, now face additional risks from vessel traffic. 



“Put simply, boats and ships are everywhere, all the time,” noted Dr. Phil Doherty.



Other vulnerable species, such as green turtles, Chinese horseshoe crabs, and mangrove horseshoe crabs, are also feeling the effects. Decades of land reclamation have altered these habitats, reducing safe havens for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-warnings-what-coastal-cities-must-prepare-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine</a> life. 



As vessel activity continues unabated, these species struggle to survive in increasingly fragmented environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-vessel-traffic-in-bay-area">Mapping vessel traffic in Bay Area</h2>



To grasp the extent of vessel traffic, researchers employed Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology. 



This satellite-based tracking system allowed the team to map vessel movements over six years, from 2013 to 2018. The data revealed patterns that were both troubling and persistent.



The study mapped over 5,981 vessels operating daily in the Greater Bay Area. Fishing vessels concentrated near Lantau Island, while non-fishing vessels followed structured shipping lanes. 



The findings also highlighted the overlapping footprints of these vessel classes, with many areas experiencing consistent traffic from both fishing and non-fishing vessels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-vessel-peaks-intensify-impact">Seasonal vessel peaks intensify impact</h2>



Seasonal changes in vessel traffic provided additional insights. Fishing vessels displayed biannual peaks, aligning with the Chinese New Year and the summer fishing moratorium. During these periods, fishing activity surged, disrupting habitats in concentrated bursts.



Non-fishing vessels, on the other hand, maintained more consistent patterns. Commercial lanes remained active year-round, with a slight uptick during major economic periods. 



This constant flow of vessels exacerbates the cumulative impact on marine ecosystems, which receive little reprieve from human activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-to-reduce-vessel-traffic-impact">Strategies to reduce vessel traffic impact</h2>



Addressing the ecological fallout of vessel traffic requires a strategic, multi-pronged approach. “The Greater Bay Area is an interesting test case for coastal cities as they grow,” emphasized Dr. Stephen Lang from the University of Exeter.



Proposed mitigation strategies include rerouting shipping lanes to avoid key habitats, reducing vessel speeds to minimize collisions, and adopting quieter, less polluting ships. 



The establishment of marine protected areas that effectively regulate vessel activity could also provide much-needed refuges for endangered species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-accessibility-and-broader-implications">Data accessibility and broader implications</h2>



The study’s findings serve as a critical resource for policymakers and conservationists. By making their processed datasets freely accessible, the researchers aim to facilitate further studies on the environmental impact of maritime traffic in other coastal megacities.



“To safeguard these ecologically sensitive areas, governments must adhere to the Global Biodiversity Framework, ensuring both protection and sustainable management for future generations,” noted Dr. Leung.



This call to action highlights the urgent need for policies that balance economic growth with environmental conservation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safeguarding-coastal-ecosystems">Safeguarding coastal ecosystems</h2>



The relentless growth of coastal megacities underscores a pressing global dilemma: How can we protect marine ecosystems in regions that are vital economic hubs? 



The Greater Bay Area exemplifies this conflict. Once a sanctuary for marine species, it is now a region marked by ceaseless vessel traffic, with its waters teeming with ships and boats.



Despite the gravity of these findings, hope remains. The researchers’ recommendations offer a pathway forward - one that emphasizes sustainable maritime practices, effective conservation measures, and data-driven policymaking. 



By heeding these recommendations, policymakers can chart a course that protects vulnerable species while accommodating economic growth.



The future of coastal megacities like the Greater Bay Area depends on making informed, strategic decisions that prioritize both economic development and environmental health. 



The findings of this study provide a crucial foundation for such efforts, highlighting the urgent need for action before the tides of commerce irrevocably alter the fragile balance of marine ecosystems.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X2500154X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Policy</a>.



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Marine life is exposed to 'relentless' ship traffic in coastal megacities

The relentless expansion of coastal megacities is reshaping the planet’s...

<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>



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.



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



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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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>



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.



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



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.



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.



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.



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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.



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



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



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.



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%.



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



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.



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.



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.



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



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>.



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



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

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>



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.



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



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.



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.



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



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.



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



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.



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



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.



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">Nature Communications</a>.



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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>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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Today’s Video of the Day 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.



"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.



"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."



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



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.



"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."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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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Today’s Video of the Day 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.



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.



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.



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.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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Today's Video of the Day 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. 



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



"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.



"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."



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;



"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.



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.



"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.



"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."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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.

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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