Natural,Environment,Climate-neutral,Long-term,Emissions,Strategy,Net,Zero,2050,Carbon

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities.



A new <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/">growth</a>, even when governments rely on foreign aid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-and-economic-growth">Zero emissions and economic growth</h2>



The work comes from <a href="https://tus.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/hideo-noda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hideo Noda</a> at the Tokyo University of Science (<a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TUS</a>) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business Administration at TUS. 



The team builds a simple but testable way to check if a country can hit zero net <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-trade-is-fueling-a-dangerous-rise-in-methane-emissions/">emissions</a> while its economy keeps expanding.



They also verify the model numerically using real world style parameters so it is not just a chalkboard exercise. 



The paper connects theory to a specific United Nations target on decoupling growth from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5c-is-almost-certainly-out-of-reach/">environmental damage</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-models">Zero emissions models</h2>



First, the authors define a zero-emissions <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policy</a> as keeping net pollution at zero at every point in time, by matching abatement to emissions. That requires money, technology, and clear rules to assign who pays.



They run two versions of the economy. 



One is a public goods <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/stantcheva/files/lecture8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> where government services like roads or schools lift private production for everyone at once, a standard growth <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/261726" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> introduced by Robert Barro in 1990. 



The second adds <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-will-climate-change-hit-hardest-global-index-reveals-vulnerability/">congestion</a>, where more people share the same public services so the boost per person shrinks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimum-income-rule">Minimum income rule</h2>



The key test is whether gross domestic product (<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GDP</a>) per capita rises above a minimum income threshold so a country can fully clean what it emits. 



The authors call this the kindergarten rule level of abatement, as in: “clean-up what you make dirty.”



"Following the Kindergarten rule means implementing zero emission technologies in either finite time or asymptotically," noted M. Scott Taylor and William Brock in their related <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w9597" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. 



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aid-supports-clean-income-growth">Aid supports clean income growth</h2>



Many low income governments fund services with official development assistance (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/official-development-assistance-oda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ODA</a>), so the model lets outside aid pay for both cleaning and public services. 



That design reflects classic work showing how aid aimed at productive public services can shift long run growth.



In related <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387806000290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theory</a>, flexible labor and aid tied to public capital influence the path of output and welfare. The new paper extends this logic to pollution control that must be paid for every year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-income-threshold">Changing income threshold</h2>



The threshold depends on clean technology, population size, and how much aid is fixed to environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expanding-oil-and-gas-fields-threaten-global-climate-goals/">uses</a>. Better abatement technology lowers the income bar because each dollar of cleanup removes more pollution.



Population matters differently across the two models. In the public goods case, a larger labor force can raise growth because services scale with the economy, while in the congestion case that scale effect drops out as services get diluted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taxes-and-zero-emissions-targets">Taxes and zero emissions targets</h2>



The model also looks at tax policy, focusing on a labor income tax that finances services. 



There is a tax rate that maximizes the growth of income per person, and under both models governments can reach the needed income threshold in finite time if they choose that growth maximizing rate.



Public services that complement private capital are the link. When governments tax and spend on those services efficiently, private firms produce more and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-economies-can-grow-while-cutting-emissions/">economy climbs</a> to the income level that makes full abatement feasible.



"Both models indicate that implementing the zero-emissions policy is compatible with sustainable economic growth," wrote Noda. 



They also show the kindergarten rule threshold is higher with congestion than without it, so crowding of public services slows the crossing.



"We call this threshold the kindergarten rule level of pollution abatement in terms of GDP per capita," wrote Noda. The result gives policymakers a clear income target, not just a slogan about decoupling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-growth-and-sdgs">Income growth and SDGs</h2>



Target 8.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDGs</a>) asks countries to decouple growth from environmental degradation. 



The authors argue their framework helps explain when that is possible in practice, and how policy levers change the timing.



The UN defines the <a href="https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8.4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">target</a> as improving resource efficiency and decoupling growth from environmental harm through 2030. The paper’s threshold view fits that mandate with a concrete yardstick.



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



Earlier <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621009112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in the same research stream focused on developed, innovation-driven economies and showed that zero emissions could be achieved alongside continued growth. 



That study examined whether sustained economic expansion could occur while also maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-net-zero-world-will-require-75-trillion-of-investment-and-1-billion-electric-cars/">zero net pollution emissions</a>.



The new paper shows the same compatibility can hold in aid dependent settings where innovation is not the main growth engine. 



That extension fills a real gap, because many low income countries face tighter fiscal and technological limits.



Build or buy cleaner technology so the threshold falls. Treat tied aid for environmental programs as a growth tool and not just a cost center.



Set tax policy to raise the growth rate of income per person, then sustain it long enough to pass the threshold. Guard against congestion by scaling services with population, so gains are not diluted.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Singapore Economic Review</a>.



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Net-zero emissions and rising income levels can both be achieved simultaneously

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities. A new study lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady growth, even when governments rely on foreign aid. Zero emissions and economic growth The work comes from Hideo Noda at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School...

Underwater,Closeup,Of,Branching,Acropora,Coral

As oceans continue to warm and coral bleaching events increase across the globe, scientists are taking a close look at the effectiveness of restoration projects aimed at saving some of the planet’s most vibrant and valuable ecosystems.&nbsp;



While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reef-sounds-the-melodic-key-to-coral-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration</a> has become a common strategy for helping damaged reefs recover, a new international study suggests that many of these efforts may fall short - not because they’re misguided, but because they can’t keep up with the pace of destruction.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-largest-coral-bleaching-event-is-now-underway/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bleaching</a> occurs when corals, stressed by unusually high sea temperatures, expel the algae that live in their tissues. These symbiotic algae not only give corals their brilliant colors but also help provide nutrients.&nbsp;



Without them, corals turn white - and if the stress continues, they can die. Marine heatwaves, mostly driven by climate change, are the leading cause of these events, although other factors like pollution and overfishing make reefs more vulnerable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-restoration-on-a-small-scale">Coral restoration on a small scale</h2>



The most widely used method of reef restoration is known as coral gardening. It involves growing coral fragments in underwater <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-nurseries-need-protection-equal-to-that-of-established-coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nurseries</a> and then transplanting them to damaged reef areas. 



Other approaches include removing coral-eating species such as parrotfish, distributing coral spawn to new locations, or even tweaking the microbiomes surrounding the coral in hopes of boosting their survival.



But according to the new study, the scope and scale of these interventions don’t come close to matching the problem. 



The study was led by Giovanni Strona from the European Union Joint Research Center, Clelia Mulà of the University of Western Australia, and Professor Corey Bradshaw from <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> in Australia. The researchers investigated why many reef restoration projects fail to deliver long-term benefits.



“Most restoration projects only operate over several hundred or a few thousand square meters,” said Professor Bradshaw. 



“Compared to the 14% loss and degradation of coral reefs between 2009 and 2018, equating to nearly 12,000 square kilometers, we come nowhere close to the scale of restoration that is needed to offset the losses from climate change.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-many-restoration-projects-fail">Why many restoration projects fail</h2>



The analysis revealed several reasons for the high failure rate of coral restoration efforts - which is about one-third of all projects. Among the most common were high costs per hectare, reliance on unproven or poorly monitored methods, and efforts focused on reefs already severely degraded and highly vulnerable to future bleaching events.



According to the experts, there’s also the issue of poor planning. And without consistent methods for collecting and reporting data from these projects, it’s nearly impossible to figure out what works and what doesn’t.



The review encompassed a wide range of factors - including human impact, risk of bleaching before and after intervention, coral diversity, and remoteness - but no consistent correlation between these conditions and the success of restoration efforts was found. In other words, it’s not yet clear what makes a reef restoration project succeed or fail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-restoration-and-climate-change">Coral restoration and climate change </h2>



The stakes couldn’t be higher. Coral reefs support an estimated one billion people worldwide, offering everything from food security to income from tourism, and even natural protection from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-thousand-years-extreme-storms-are-becoming-much-more-frequent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storms</a> and coastal erosion.



“Some estimate that over the past 40 years, the coverage of coral reefs has declined by at least 50%,” said Strona. “As climate change continues, bleaching events and coral deaths will only become more common, with projected losses of total coral cover of more than 90% by the end of the century.”



And while many coral restoration efforts are well-meaning, the researchers argue that relying too heavily on them could create a false sense of hope.



“Although coral restoration has the potential to be a valuable tool in certain circumstances, our research makes it clear it is not yet - and might never be - feasible to scale up sufficiently to have meaningful, long-term, and positive effects on coral <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/underwater-closeup-branching-acropora-coral-2453177503" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reef ecosystems</a>,” explained Professor Bradshaw.



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



The authors emphasize that this shouldn’t be a reason to give up on coral conservation altogether. Rather, it’s a call to think bigger, and to be more strategic about how and where restoration is attempted. 



For example, focusing on less degraded reefs, or those that are more resilient to heat stress, may yield better long-term results.



Lead author Clelia Mulà suggests that part of the answer lies in complementing restoration with broader conservation strategies.



“Reinforcing complementary strategies could therefore bolster ecosystem resilience, extending the reach and success of coral restoration projects,” she said.



Ultimately, the researchers agree that no amount of coral restoration work will be enough without a serious global effort to slow climate change.



“This reality check should stimulate constructive debate about when and where restoration is most feasible and important," said Professor Bradshaw. 



"But the truth is that without stemming the pace and magnitude of climate change, we have little power to save coral reefs from massive losses over the coming century and beyond."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02667-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Without tackling climate change, coral restoration efforts are insufficient

As oceans continue to warm and coral bleaching events increase...

Studies worldwide rank strokes among the top causes of death, with major impacts on individuals and families across many countries. Researchers often look for new ways to decrease the risk of this condition. 



Experts have now started exploring how outside factors, such as <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://maps.dot.gov/BTS/NationalTransportationNoiseMap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">traffic noise</a>, might contribute to worsening stroke incidence.



In a recent study, this topic was explored by Dr. Huyen Nguyen Thi Khanh and her colleague Dr. Jeroen de Bont of the Institute of Environmental Medicine, <a href="https://ki.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karolinska Institutet</a>. 



The researchers investigated how exposure to these noise and air pollution, either alone or in tandem, might influence people’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-people-die-from-air-pollution-each-year-yet-theres-still-a-lack-of-monitoring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-risk-factors">Understanding the risk factors</h2>



Strokes occur when blood flow to a section of the brain is disrupted. Health <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33535786/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experts</a> point out that older age, high blood pressure, smoking, and sedentary habits are typical risk factors.



Air pollution has already been tied to a range of serious health conditions. This is because fine particles, known as <a href="https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/particulate-matter-pm25-trends" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PM2.5</a>, can enter the bloodstream and affect the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular system</a>. 



Meanwhile, traffic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vicious-cycle-food-systems-both-suffer-from-and-cause-emissions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noise</a> can keep people tense or disrupt healthy sleep patterns. Both these factors are thus worth considering when investigating ways to reduce the incidence of strokes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-pollution-and-noise-increase-stroke-risk">How pollution and noise increase stroke risk</h2>



The experts found that a 5 µg/m³ rise in PM2.5 added 9% to the risk of experiencing a stroke. An 11 dB increase in traffic noise was linked to a 6% additional risk of a stroke. 



These figures highlight how repeated exposure to these factors seems to raise the odds for this health event. In places with higher noise readings, air pollution showed a steeper link to stroke risk. 



The researchers noted that numbers tended to climb when both factors were on the high side. They caution that even lower-level <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuel-pollution-is-causing-disease-disaster-and-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exposure</a> to these two parameters should be taken seriously.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-combined-effects-of-pollution-and-noise">Combined effects of pollution and noise</h2>



“Research on the combined effects of air <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scented-products-release-indoor-air-pollutants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a> and traffic noise is still scarce, and our study provides important new insights,” said the authors. 



They explained that even moderate levels of both exposures could affect human health. These circumstances point to a need for tighter policies on air quality and noise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-even-low-pollution-raises-stroke-risk">Even low pollution raises stroke risk</h2>



Many people assume that they are safe if pollution stays under certain guidelines. City dwellers might have a similar view about traffic noise. 



The data suggests that these assumptions can lead to complacency. Stroke is a formidable issue, so regulators may want to adopt stricter measures.



Studies have indicated that inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine responses could all play a part. These bodily changes may become more pronounced if a person regularly encounters both traffic noise and polluted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-air-pollution-affects-consumer-spending/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air</a>.



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



Communities near busy roads or industrial areas might face a higher disease burden. Recent investigations emphasize that it is not only about one exposure. The interplay between noise and pollution might explain why some areas see greater stroke hospitalizations.



Lawmakers and city planners can explore how changes to traffic patterns, building designs, and <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/transportation-sector-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transport emissions</a> might reduce the dangers. 



A single solution will not fix everything, but a blend of cleaner energy and quieter streets may bring real benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cities-that-balance-health-and-growth">Cities that balance health and growth</h2>



Regions with robust public transport, well-kept bicycle lanes, and green spaces can promote a better daily life. 



Local authorities may look to separate major roads from residential zones or improve building insulation. Such measures can help cut noise disturbance and filter out particles.



Urban planning that decreases motor traffic could also diminish air pollution along with offensive noise. Air quality laws often target vehicle emissions. Noise mitigation strategies, on the other hand, focus more on barriers or lower speed limits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-changes-affect-stroke-risk">Pollution changes affect stroke risk</h2>



The researchers plan to see how changes in a person's residential area, from higher to lower exposures, might change cardiovascular outcomes. They will also consider other urban factors. 



All of this points to a future in which multiple elements are measured together instead of in isolation.



The idea of addressing both traffic noise and air pollution might shape new guidelines. Combining these efforts may lower stroke risks in affected populations. It can also give residents of crowded cities a better sense of control over their health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-stroke-risks">Reducing stroke risks</h2>



Urban decision-makers face a tough challenge in balancing economic growth with public welfare. 



Policies that encourage quieter vehicles, cleaner fuels, and noise-control solutions might strike that balance. If done right, these measures could spare many people from added danger.



Individuals may want to look into ways to shield themselves from the stroke risk associated with noise and air pollution. 



Windows that reduce sound transmission, air purifiers, and quiet neighborhoods can all play a part. The authors of the study note that a multi-layered approach is the most realistic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaner-air-and-quieter-surroundings">Cleaner air and quieter surroundings</h2>



Air pollution and traffic noise are not the only environmental concerns for stroke. Yet few studies have taken a deep look at how these factors might act in combination. 



Public health officials could benefit from more research on whether these exposures together push stroke rates up even further.



Experts also want to see if limiting one factor can blunt the effects of the other. These questions will guide policies to reduce harmful exposures. 



Health professionals are calling for solutions that support both cleaner air and quieter surroundings in order to reduce the risk of suffering a stroke.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025001540" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environment International</a>.



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Stroke risk is elevated by air pollution and traffic noise

Studies worldwide rank strokes among the top causes of death,...

Wadi,Bani,Khalid,,Oman

Arid stretches of sand can hide astonishing secrets. In southern Arabia, experts have uncovered evidence of lush landscapes that existed thousands of years ago.



The team was led by <a href="https://abdallahszaki.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Abdallah Zaki</a> from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, in collaboration with colleagues from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (<a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KAUST</a>) and <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Griffith University</a>.



Their <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02224-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> revealed prehistoric water pathways, lakes, and a remarkable desert valley, all of which begged a deeper investigation into how storms once shaped this barren region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-lush-green-arabia-the-basics">Understanding lush, green Arabia - the basics</h2>



Thousands of years ago, Arabia looked nothing like the arid, sun-blasted deserts we picture today. Rain fell more often, carving rivers through what is now sand and dust. 



Rolling grasslands <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saudi-arabia-is-turning-degraded-desert-sand-into-blooming-soil/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stretched across the peninsula</a>, dotted with lakes and wetlands where herds of elephants, gazelles, and even hippos roamed. Acacia trees and wildflowers lined the water’s edge, while birds and crocodiles thrived in the marshes. 



Nomadic people moved through this green world, hunting game, gathering plants, and settling near freshwater sources. Arabia wasn’t just a pass-through - it was a place people lived, loved, and left their mark on.



You can still see the echoes of this lush past. Rock art in northern Saudi Arabia shows hunters stalking prey and herders leading cattle - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tackling-urban-heat-experts-plan-to-cool-a-desert-city-by-4-5c/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scenes impossible in a desert</a>, but common in fertile lands. 



Fossils lie buried beneath the dunes, and dry riverbeds, invisible to the naked eye, appear clearly in satellite images. 



With this study, Dr. Zaki and his team have uncovered more concrete details about this very different period in time for the Arabian peninsula.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lakes-and-wetlands-in-lush-arabia">Lakes and wetlands in lush Arabia</h2>



<a href="https://saudipedia.com/en/article/983/geography/deserts/empty-quarter-desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arabia’s Empty Quarter</a> is recognized today for its dunes and scorching heat. Yet traces of freshwater shells, dried-up channels, and lakebeds suggest that parts of this area once sustained diverse aquatic life.



“Based on a series of ages, it appears the lake peaked about 9,000 years ago during a wet Green Arabia period that extended between 11,000 and 5,500 years ago,” stated Dr. Zaki. 



Researchers say that rainfall patterns then were strong enough to allow lakes and rivers to form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-monsoonal-footprints">Tracing the monsoonal footprints</h2>



Scientists used a blend of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17445647.2018.1526719" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiocarbon techniques</a> and analyses of sediment layers to figure out how water shaped the region. 



They identified a connection to the <a href="https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/37/2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">African monsoon</a>, which once carried moisture across the Red Sea to Arabia.



This moisture created grassy areas, wetlands, and streams. Cores of lake and river sediments also revealed the fossils of mollusks and confirmed that stable aquatic habitats thrived.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floods-carved-in-lush-arabia">Floods carved in lush Arabia</h2>



One of the most striking findings was evidence of a large paleolake measuring about 1,100 square kilometers (425 square miles), and with a depth of roughly 42 yards (38 meters).



“Owing to increased rainfall, the lake eventually breached, causing a great flood and carving out a 93-mile-long valley in the desert floor,” remarked <a href="https://www.unige.ch/rectorat/en/sebastien-castelltort" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Sébastien Castelltort</a>, who is also from the University of Geneva.



The immense force of the water apparently sliced through sand and bedrock. Satellite images revealed streamlined shapes and steep-sided channels, which indicate heavy flows rather than slow trickles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-presence-in-a-changing-land">Human presence in a changing land</h2>



“The formation of lake and riverine landscapes, together with grasslands and savanna conditions, would have led to the expansion of hunting and gathering groups and pastoral populations,” said <a href="https://experts.griffith.edu.au/28674-michael-petraglia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Michael Petraglia</a>, from Griffith University’s Australian Research Center for Human Evolution. 



Archaeological remains in the Empty Quarter support the idea of more <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22718479/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitable surroundings</a> during these lush intervals.



Sites once on the banks of prehistoric lakes show that people took advantage of water-rich environments. Plant and animal resources likely boosted their survival, and encouraged settlements around riverbeds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-monsoon-s-strong-effects">The monsoon’s strong effects</h2>



The flood features identified in the study highlight periods of unexpected intensity. 



Researchers relied on computer modeling to suggest that annual rainfall, at times, rose by as much as 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) above modern levels.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ancient-arabia_lush-landscape_streams-rivers-monsoons_map_credit-CEE_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ancient-arabia_lush-landscape_streams-rivers-monsoons_map_credit-CEE_1s.webp" alt="Distribution of palaeohydrological and geomorphic records, archaeological sites, modeled streams, major monsoon systems, and the study site in Arabia. Credit: Communications Earth &amp; Environment (2025)." class="wp-image-1964897"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Distribution of palaeohydrological and geomorphic records, archaeological sites, modeled streams, major monsoon systems, and the study site in Arabia. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Communications Earth &amp; Environment (2025).</figcaption></figure>



Such moisture allowed rivers to form, drain off the highlands, and feed desert basins. 



Evidence shows that these lakes and streams built up enough pressure to erupt through barriers, leading to the carving of deep channels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forced-migrations-out-of-lush-arabia">Forced migrations out of lush Arabia</h2>



The stable, moist climate did not last forever.&nbsp;



“By 6,000 years ago, the Empty Quarter experienced a strong decline in rainfall, which would have created dry, arid conditions, forcing populations to move into more hospitable settings and changing the lifestyle of nomadic populations,” noted Professor Petraglia. 



Dryness overtook the dunes, and water sources vanished. 



Over time, shifting sands covered much of the evidence of these greener eras, leaving behind faint traces that challenge our assumptions about Arabia’s dry and sandy emptiness.



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



Although the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00368-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holocene humid phase</a> ended millennia ago, today’s scientists hope these findings can spark conversations about desert landscapes around the world. 



They show how climate swings can <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1083130" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transform</a> lush corridors into barren regions, with vital impacts on human migration.



Researchers also see these remnants as reminders that weather patterns can shift in dramatic ways. 



Shallow lakes can vanish, while floods can leave behind spectacular canyons that reshape entire terrains almost overnight.



These newly documented scenes of ancient rivers, lakebeds, and open grasslands in what is today a desert area, urge us to reflect on how drastically climates can vary through time.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02224-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Ancient Arabia was once green and lush with rivers, lakes, and grasslands

Arid stretches of sand can hide astonishing secrets. In southern...

A new set of findings warns of severe consequences for the global economy if Earth's temperature were to rise by 4°C before 2100. The research indicates the potential for a 40% decrease in world gross domestic product, which is considerably greater than earlier estimates of roughly 11%.



Many climate forecasts have relied on models that only examined local conditions, and have ignored how nations are linked by trade and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-shock-lakes-are-losing-oxygen-faster-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resources</a>. 



Recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092180092100015X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> say this oversight shifts the conversation around emission reductions and highlights the urgent need for updated risk calculations.



One expert leading this conversation is <a href="https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/dr-timothy-neal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Timothy Neal</a> from the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of New South Wales</a>. His fresh analysis addresses a missing piece in older frameworks and shows how global weather patterns can magnify <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056819024000289" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regional economic shocks</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-temperature-could-crash-economy">Rising temperature could crash economy</h2>



“Economists have traditionally looked at historical data comparing weather events to economic growth, to cost climate damages,” said Dr. Neal. Many economists once focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuel-pollution-is-causing-disease-disaster-and-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature</a> changes in a single region or country.&nbsp;



That local-only view might hide deeper problems that arise when extreme conditions batter multiple nations at the same time.



By including global averages instead, his group uncovered greater losses than standard forecasts have predicted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unseen-global-links">Unseen global links</h2>



An interconnected world <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wealthier-nations-set-bold-climate-targets-but-citizens-give-less/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">economy</a> means a shock in one place often ripples across borders. This is especially true when extreme weather events hamper trade flows or shrink production in key sectors.



“In a hotter future, we can expect cascading supply chain disruptions triggered by extreme weather events worldwide,” explained Dr. Neal, who emphasized that these shocks can spread quickly.



This scenario suggests that local economies may struggle to import goods if distant suppliers are also grappling with climate stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-weather-and-global-supply-systems">Extreme weather and global supply systems</h2>



A <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/what-is-a-global-supply-chain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global supply chain</a> refers to the network of producers and distributors that move goods around the planet. It lets countries source items from regions with better weather or more resources at any given moment.



This safety net weakens if extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat</a> or storms strike multiple hubs at once. Reduced crop yields, property damage, or transport blockages in different locations can trigger worldwide shortages and price spikes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-charting-a-lower-temperature-goal">Charting a lower temperature goal</h2>



New results suggest aiming for about 1.7°C (3.1°F) above pre-industrial levels rather than previous targets closer to 2.7°C (4.9°F). This tighter limit aligns with faster decarbonization pathways in agreements like the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Accord</a>.



Some <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/mitigation/workstreams/response-measures/modelling-tools-to-assess-the-impact-of-the-implementation-of-response-measures/integrated-assessment-models-iams-and-energy-environment-economy-e3-models" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">integrated assessment models</a> are frameworks that weigh economic and climate data, and they previously gave the green light to reduce emissions more slowly. 



However, by revising the way in which we gauge the damage function, policymakers might see a strong financial incentive to push for deeper cuts in emissions sooner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-policy-directions">Shifting policy directions</h2>



Another shift appears in how we set a <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/pricing-carbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon price</a>, or tax on emissions, which influences energy choices worldwide. If the true economic risk is bigger than assumed, the ideal carbon price could be substantially higher.



“Because these damages haven't been taken into account, prior economic models have inadvertently concluded that even severe climate change wasn't a big problem for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-threaten-the-future-of-banana-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">economy</a> - and it's had profound implications for climate policy,” said Dr. Neal.



This underscores the need for updated modeling that captures global effects instead of isolated ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-temperatures-affect-all-economies">Rising temperatures affect all economies </h2>



Several countries once believed that cooler climates would shield them from heat-related damage. But global trade links mean that no nation gets a free pass when climate extremes hit many regions at once.



Adaptation, including policies for human migration or infrastructure upgrades, is still an evolving area of study. Dr. Neal notes that calculating its true scope is complex because political and logistical barriers can slow large-scale responses. 



Research continues to dig into the exact ways in which global temperature swings can harm production, jobs, and investment. 



Some believe that better trade rules and robust infrastructure can help countries cope when heat or storms hit harder than usual.



<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate science</a> also points to a rising frequency of events like hurricanes or droughts in a warming atmosphere. 



This pattern, combined with the presence of global supply chains, raises the stakes for coordinated action among governments and businesses.



<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2017/explained-neural-networks-deep-learning-0414" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neural networks</a> and advanced simulation tools are now part of some economic models. By simulating hypothetical shocks, experts might refine predictions and highlight early warning signs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-benefits-of-swift-action">Economic benefits of swift action</h2>



Researchers say earlier, decisive climate measures may reduce the economic toll in the long run. They also point to short-term gains like cleaner air and energy independence when nations invest in low-carbon solutions.



“We continue learning from how we see climate change impacting our economy right now, from rising food prices to insurance costs, and we need to be responsive to new information if we're going to act in our best interest,” said Dr. Neal. 



Analysts warn that postponing emissions cuts could lock in deeper losses, leaving populations vulnerable to recurrent disasters. Early investment in renewable energy and efficient technologies might save money down the road.



Industry leaders, finance experts, and governments have a collective responsibility to measure these costs correctly. 



Underestimating future damage might sideline critical reforms and push humanity toward an even hotter, more fragile planet.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025001540?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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Rising temperatures will cut world GDP by a staggering 40 percent if nothing changes

A new set of findings warns of severe consequences for...

Due to Arctic warming, fossilized microbes buried in Arctic ice and soil may wake up. The fear is that these pathogens will spark outbreaks of diseases like brucellosis, tularemia, and E. coli. 



This warning comes from a large international team of scientists who study human, animal, and environmental health in the North.



The research shows that climate change might spread infectious diseases globally. The experts point out that melting ice opens the region to more people and industries. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-permafrost-melt-devastating-role-accelerating-global-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warmer temperatures</a> also unlock dangerous microbes that have slept frozen for millennia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-warming-could-unlock-diseases">Arctic warming could unlock diseases</h2>



The team focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-thaw-is-a-rising-threat-to-arctic-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">permafrost</a>, the once-permanently frozen soil that covers vast parts of the Arctic. As the planet heats, permafrost thaws and releases ancient microorganisms from dead animals or other organic material long trapped in ice.&nbsp;



If reactivated, these pathogens could threaten Arctic wildlife and local communities. In some cases, diseases could emerge that have never seen by modern humans.



According to Khaled Megahed Abass of the <a href="https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sharjah</a>, a co-author of the study, the consequences could be severe. “Permafrost thawing could even release ancient bacteria or viruses that have been frozen for thousands of years.”



The scientists compiled evidence from academic studies and government documents across Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and northern Europe. Their findings reveal that the Arctic is changing more rapidly than most other parts of the globe.



Warmer temperatures and melting sea ice draw industries like shipping, mining, and tourism ever northward. While this brings economic opportunities, it also puts more people in contact with long-dormant microbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-infections-could-spread-globally">New infections could spread globally</h2>



Climate change in the Arctic might seem like a distant concern. The authors, however, stress that its effects can travel far beyond extreme northern environments. 



A new infection emerging in a remote corner can spread rapidly through human travel or wildlife migrations. As Abass warned, “What is happening in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.”&nbsp;



The region’s transformation has ripple effects, from Arctic warming that touches every coastal city worldwide to shifting atmospheric patterns that can influence global weather. These conditions also disrupt local ecosystems, making animal-to-human pathogen transfer more likely.



The review shows that the health of the Arctic ecosystem is deeply connected to the health of global communities. 



As new shipping lanes open, trade routes shorten. More tourists arrive and transport microbes to new host cities. 



This is especially worrying because diseases that cross the animal-human boundary - known as zoonotic diseases - have been responsible for major outbreaks, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/abzymes-new-discovery-cause-long-covid-symptoms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-warming-and-disease-risks">Arctic warming and disease risks</h2>



This study emphasizes the <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/one-health#tab=tab_1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Health</a> approach, which views people, animals, plants, and the environment as part of one interconnected system. 



The scientists argue that monitoring animal health in Arctic warming conditions is necessary to spot diseases before they spread to human populations. 



They also call for greater cooperation among veterinarians, environmental agencies, and public health professionals. 



By watching Arctic wildlife, testing water sources, and educating local communities on disease risk, it’s possible to get an early warning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-infectious-disease-landscape-is-changing-and-we-must-prepare/">infectious threats</a>.



The study shows how Arctic residents - many Indigenous peoples - can offer vital insights. Their traditional knowledge and everyday observations detect shifts in animal behavior before any official monitoring program picks up signs. 



Tapping into this localized expertise would boost prevention and response measures. Ultimately, it would help safeguard people, wildlife, and the broader environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thawing-permafrost-prompts-swift-action">Thawing permafrost prompts swift action</h2>



Despite these looming risks, the authors note that crucial information is lacking. There are gaps in monitoring and current knowledge, particularly in how emerging pathogens might behave under Arctic conditions or spread through newly thawed soil and water.&nbsp;



Their review also underscores the need for stronger disease surveillance systems to ensure that any outbreak can be swiftly detected and contained. 



Governments, public health agencies, and local industries must coordinate to identify high-risk areas and vulnerable populations.



According to Abass, many non-academic groups, such as northern industries and public health organizations, are starting to pay attention to these issues. 



Policymakers and business leaders are concerned about mitigating risks and keeping Arctic operations safe, especially as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-can-prevent-future-pandemics-by-protecting-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pandemic prevention</a> becomes a global priority. 



The researchers hope this momentum will encourage more robust safety measures and environmental stewardship in the far north. They also stress that Arctic warming could foreshadow similar problems in other regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-pathogens-in-unexpected-places">Ancient pathogens in unexpected places</h2>



The thawing in Siberia or high-altitude glaciers could reveal microbes that have not circulated for thousands of years. 



If humans continue altering the climate, we may face repeated discoveries of ancient pathogens in unexpected places. Such an emergency would send health systems scrambling to catch up.



Scientists view Arctic warming as both a warning and an opportunity. Communities can adapt to this new reality through surveillance, interdisciplinary research, and Indigenous knowledge. 



That includes rethinking development projects in places where permafrost once provided a natural disease barrier.



With solid planning and early interventions, the global community can reduce the risk of new outbreaks and protect one of the most fragile regions on Earth.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724070268?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of the Total Environment</a>.



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Arctic warming may fuel the spread of diseases by unleashing long-frozen viruses

Due to Arctic warming, fossilized microbes buried in Arctic ice...

One of the biggest contributors to the microplastics pollution scourge is the wear and tear from motor vehicle tires on roadways. But what about bikes?



And more specifically, what about mountain bikes that are often ridden directly through forests and along trails?



A team of scientists at the <a href="https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bayreuth</a> decided to look into this question. They carried out the first real-world study that measures how much tire material mountain bikes leave behind as they roll through nature.



Their goal? To understand how even environmentally friendly forms of transportation might be adding to the microplastic problem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-tire-microplastics-the-basics">Understanding tire microplastics - the basics</h2>



Every time a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brake-pad-copper-emissions-are-worse-than-diesel-exhaust-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">car hits the road</a>, its tires wear down bit by bit - and that wear releases microplastics into the environment. 



Tires are made from a mix of synthetic rubber, plastic polymers, and chemical additives, and as they roll, tiny particles get scraped off and tossed into the air, soil, and water. 



These microplastics from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tire-particles-must-be-recognized-as-a-distinct-environmental-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tire particles</a> can settle along roadsides, wash into storm drains, or get carried by the wind, eventually finding their way into rivers, oceans, and even the air we breathe.



The problem is bigger than most people realize. In fact, microplastic pollution from tires is one of the largest sources of microplastics in the environment - even more than what comes from plastic bags or bottles. 



These particles don’t break down easily, and once they’re out there, they can harm aquatic life, contaminate food chains, and possibly impact human health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-bike-tires-also-shed-microplastics">Mountain bike tires also shed microplastics</h2>



The research team designed a straightforward but revealing experiment. Nine mountain bikers received brand-new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tire-particles-must-be-recognized-as-a-distinct-environmental-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tires</a> and were asked to ride as they normally would. 



Their routes were recorded using GPS, and the tires were weighed in the lab at regular intervals to measure how much rubber had been worn away.



The results showed that mountain bike tires shed about 3.5 grams of material per 100 kilometers. That adds up to as much as 88 grams per bike per year.



While that may sound like a lot, it’s only a small piece of the bigger picture. Tire wear from cars and trucks releases around 11 grams of microplastic per 100 kilometers. 



In Germany, this accounts for more than half of all road-related microplastic emissions and over a third of total <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-is-everywhere-even-in-newborns-and-getting-worse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastic pollution</a> in the country. Compared to that, mountain biking contributes less than 1%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-first-500-kilometers-matter-more">The first 500 kilometers matter more</h2>



The researchers also discovered that the first few hundred kilometers on new tires caused more abrasion than subsequent journeys.



This is likely because the outer edges of the tires wear down quickly at first, and small manufacturing residues - like the tiny rubber “hairs” found on new tires - get rubbed off quickly.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mountain-bikes_tires_microplastics-pollution-source_graphic_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mountain-bikes_tires_microplastics-pollution-source_graphic_1s.webp" alt="Graphic illustration showing how mountain bikes contribute to microplastics pollution. Credit: Science of The Total Environment (2025)." class="wp-image-1964766"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Graphic illustration showing how mountain bikes contribute to microplastics pollution. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Science of The Total Environment (2025).</figcaption></figure>



“Our study provides the first reliable data on the amount of tire abrasion from mountain bikes under real-world conditions," said doctoral researcher Fabian Sommer. 



"The results show that while mountain bike tires release microplastics directly into nature, the amount is significantly lower compared to motorized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-costs-electric-vehicle-tires-emit-20-more-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicles</a>. This highlights another advantage of cycling as a sustainable mode of transport.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-bikes-may-also-add-microplastics">Other bikes may also add microplastics</h2>



The research team isn’t stopping with mountain bikes. They’ve already launched a follow-up study to compare tire abrasion rates across different types of bicycles, including road bikes, gravel bikes, and electric mountain bikes.



They’re also working with the laboratory of Professor Dr. Christian Laforsch, from the <a href="https://www.sfb-mikroplastik.uni-bayreuth.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Collaborative Research Center 1357 Microplastics</a>, to analyze environmental samples. 



This collaboration will help paint a fuller picture of how microplastics from bike tires interact with the natural world.



While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/benefits-of-mountain-biking-far-outweigh-the-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biking</a> remains a greener alternative to driving, this research shows that even our cleanest habits leave marks. 



Understanding those marks is a step toward making better choices - and maybe building better tires in the future.



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



Even though mountain bikes contribute far less to microplastic pollution than motor vehicles, they still play a role in the broader environmental picture. 



The real issue is that microplastics are showing up in places they shouldn’t be - soils, rivers, oceans, and even inside our bodies. And they don’t break down. Once released, they linger in the environment, often for decades.



That’s why every bit of data matters. Understanding how much microplastic comes from different sources - whether it’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/car-tires-shed-pollutants-that-are-especially-toxic-for-humans-and-wildlife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cars</a>, clothes, shoes, or bike tires - helps build a clearer picture of where these particles come from and how we might reduce them.



It also helps inform smarter design choices, like new tire materials, better manufacturing practices, or improved trail planning, to protect the places we love to ride.



This study may be about bikes, but it’s also about something bigger: learning how our everyday habits connect to the growing web of microplastic pollution all around us.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725006060?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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Car tires are a big source of microplastics pollution, but what about mountain bikes?

One of the biggest contributors to the microplastics pollution scourge...

Multi-colored,Pastel,Manicure,Combined,Tone,On,Tone,With,A,Striped

Picture this: you’re at home, relaxing, and giving yourself a fresh manicure with bright pink nails that shimmer with sparkles or are maybe even embedded with a computer chip.



When you're done showing them off for the week, you melt them down and start over - no waste, no guilt. That’s the idea behind Bio-e-Nails.



A team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder’s <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/atlas/academics/grad/ctd-ci?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr6_BhD4ARIsAH1YdjCyr6N7P0vH1CNwX8lu2leCWD20cxeurZXvJczxf58DWB9fdDuon1MaAn2lEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATLAS Institute</a> has created a biodegradable, customizable press-on nail that could redefine how we think about beauty and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-urgent-plea-sustainable-climate-solutions-save-earth-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainability</a>.



The nails are made from simple, natural materials, like algae and shellfish shells, and are easy to create at home using basic craft tools and ingredients from your local store.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-kind-of-nail">A new kind of nail</h2>



Bio-e-Nails are colorful, fun, and designed to be reused. 



Whether you love long, glittery nails or short, vibrant ones, these can be made to match your exact style - and then remade again when you're ready for a change.



“With Bio-e-Nails, there can be a second life, a third life, a fourth life,” said Lázaro Vásquez, a doctoral student at ATLAS. 



“The material can be remelted and reshaped into new objects. You can make a new nail, for sure, but also a coaster for your coffee cup.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-biodegradable-nails-are-a-big-deal">Why biodegradable nails are a big deal</h2>



<a href="https://www.eldylazaro.com/?portfolio=bio-e-nails" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bio-e-Nails</a> were first presented at the 2025 Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI) conference in France.



The concept grew from a class project into a research collaboration that brought together students and faculty interested in sustainable design.



“Sustainability goes beyond merely <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-production-must-be-phased-out-to-stop-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replacing plastic</a> with a substitute material,” said Mirela Alistar, assistant professor at ATLAS and the Department of Computer Science. 



“Both the designer and the user also need to change their mindset. That type of change, which considers the entire lifecycle of the wearable, is what we are tackling through our research in the Living Matter Lab.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nails-with-a-purpose">Nails with a purpose</h2>



For many, visiting a nail salon is more than just pampering - it’s self-expression.



“[Nails] can be a reflection of your personality,” Vásquez said. “They represent something that comes from you.”



But traditional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-household-products-expose-people-to-dangerous-chemicals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nail products</a> often contain chemicals like methyl methacrylate, which can be harmful to both workers and clients. 



The booming $700 million press-on nail industry also generates a surprising amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-waste-grows-relentlessly-as-recycling-falls-short/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic waste</a>.



Alistar pointed out the hidden cost of all this beauty: “We’re not used to thinking of nails as a waste material because they're so small, but they add up.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-make-biodegradable-nails-at-home">How to make biodegradable nails at home</h2>



To make Bio-e-Nails, you start with one of two key ingredients: agar or chitosan. 



Agar, derived from algae, is often used as a vegan substitute for gelatin. Chitosan, on the other hand, comes from seashells and is widely used in supplements.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/bio-e-nails_biodegradable-fingernails_reusable_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/bio-e-nails_biodegradable-fingernails_reusable_1s.webp" alt="Bio-e-Nails come in all shapes and colors. Credit: Living Matter Lab" class="wp-image-1964780"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bio-e-Nails come in all shapes and colors. Credit: Living Matter Lab</figcaption></figure>



If you're using chitosan, the process is simple. Mix it with vinegar and water, heat and cool it in a water bath, and pour it into a mold shaped like your favorite nail. 



After a couple of days, peel the film off, trim the edges, and you’re ready. The agar version is equally easy.



Then, it’s time to get creative.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fully-custom-and-even-smart">Fully custom and even smart</h2>



You can mix in food coloring for vibrant shades, or add glitter and tiny crystals to match your mood or outfit. 



The nails can even go high-tech. The team experimented with embedding small computer chips into the nails. 



These can be programmed to interact with your smartphone, like showing your emergency contact or pulling up directions when tapped.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-toss-them-reshape-and-reuse-them">Don't toss them, reshape and reuse them</h2>



Bio-e-Nails are meant for short-term wear - perfect for a party or weekend event. And when you're done? Don’t toss them. 



Reuse the material, reshape it into your next look, or even turn it into something completely different.



“Composting should be the last alternative. We want to keep the materials in use as long as we can,” explained Vásquez.



“In biodesign, it’s not just about replacing traditional materials with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-future-of-plastic-biodegradable-durable-and-even-edible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodegradable</a> ones - it’s about rethinking the entire design process, considering the life cycle of the material and eventual products, and how they can stay in circulation and be transformed before they ever return to nature.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



With Bio-e-Nails, beauty isn’t just skin deep - it’s a way to rethink how we care for ourselves and the planet. From your fingertips to your compost bin - or your next set of nails - it’s all connected.



Details of the study were <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3689050.3704426">presented</a> at the 2025 Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction Conference.



<a href="https://youtu.be/SJGLC6OofmY" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watch a video demonstration by clicking here...</a>



The full study <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3689050.3704426" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is published here...</a>



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Biodegradable fingernails? Yes, and you can make them at home and reuse

Picture this: you’re at home, relaxing, and giving yourself a...

In July 2022, powerful thunderstorms pummeled the central United States, bringing extreme flooding to the St. Louis metropolitan area and then dumping vast amounts of water on eastern Kentucky. 



St. Louis set a new benchmark for daily rainfall, with a gauge at Lambert International Airport recording 8.64 inches of precipitation. 



Though media reports labeled it a 1-in-1,000-year event, a new study from <a href="https://washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University in St. Louis</a> suggests otherwise. 



Researchers led by assistant professor Bronwen Konecky analyzed the storm’s intensity using a fresh approach that blends real-world measurements with climate model data. 



The team found that this extreme rainfall was more likely a 1-in-500-year storm - still significant, but not as rare as early estimates suggested.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-record-breaking-deluge">A record-breaking deluge</h2>



The downpour in St. Louis, which occurred on July 26, caused extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shorter-storms-bigger-impact-rising-flood-risks-in-a-warmer-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">floods</a> that claimed two lives and led to more than $1 billion in damages. It was the most expensive flood disaster in the nation that year.



Eastern Kentucky saw a similarly devastating impact only two days later. Preliminary coverage described the rainfall as having a 0.1% chance of happening in any given year, hence the “1,000-year” label.



But the Washington University researchers discovered that official frequency estimates carry huge error bars - potentially up to 7 inches of rainfall in some cases - which complicates claims that the storm was a once-in-a-millennium event. 



Instead, they say a storm of that magnitude is more likely on the order of a 1-in-500-year scenario for St. Louis and closer to a 1-in-300-year event for eastern Kentucky.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-estimates-are-so-uncertain">Why estimates are so uncertain</h2>



Alexander Thompson, first author on the study and a recent PhD graduate, explains that short observation records are partly to blame. 



Rain gauges have only been recording data in some U.S. locations for about a century, and the coverage of these stations varies widely. Some areas have robust data, while others are spotty or have large historical gaps.



With such limited sets of observations, scientists must rely heavily on statistical methods to guess the likelihood of big <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-increases-as-a-direct-result-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a> events. But if the data only covers a few decades, it will show a broad range of possible return periods for any major storm.



The term “return period” is how scientists express the probable timing of an event. A 1-in-500-year storm has a 0.2% chance of occurring in any given year, whereas a 1-in-1,000-year storm has a 0.1% chance. 



As global warming intensifies, storms with these high return periods could become more frequent in many regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fresh-blend-of-data-and-models">A fresh blend of data and models</h2>



Because standard measurements produce such wide error ranges, Thompson and Konecky - both paleoclimatologists by training - turned to an unusual strategy. 



The experts combined traditional rain gauge data from the late 20th and early 21st centuries with outputs from a large set of climate model simulations known as the Last Millennium Ensemble.



These simulations span back to the year 850 and run forward to 2100, covering both past and projected future climates.



“The late 20th and early 21st century is a unique period of time when we have weather station data that overlap with climate model simulations,” Konecky said. 



“We used that period of overlap to figure out how to come up with a blended data set that reflects the reality of the station data, but with the long-term statistics of the climate model simulations.” 



This blended dataset allowed the researchers to recast the July 2022 storm in historical context.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-risk-of-extreme-storms">Future risk of extreme storms</h2>



The results show the 24-hour rainfall that drenched St. Louis has a likely return period of around 530 years, while the eastern Kentucky event clocks in at about 280 years.



 In real terms, that means these extreme storms, though unusual, are more probable than the initial 1-in-1,000-year assessments indicated.



Moreover, the data suggest that such events will become even more common in decades ahead as global warming accelerates.



For communities like St. Louis, where basement flooding turned into a major crisis last year, this conclusion carries an urgent message. “Extreme storms and flooding aren’t going away,” Konecky said. “St. Louis needs to be ready.”&nbsp;



The same holds for other cities facing similar precipitation extremes. Planning decisions on stormwater systems, road design, and new construction all hinge on understanding how often severe rainstorms could happen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-era-of-extreme-storms">A new era of extreme storms</h2>



With more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">intense storms</a> looming, adaptation becomes critical. The researchers noted that economic losses from extreme floods continue to soar, and preparing now can save both money and lives.



"There’s an explosion of research into new and better ways to analyze these kinds of events,” Thompson said, adding that emerging methods - like the one used in this study - will help refine how we talk about storm frequency.



In the meantime, the takeaway is that an extreme storm like the one that slammed St. Louis is already too frequent for comfort - and only likely to get more so. 



As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> reshapes historical weather patterns, societies must lean on better data, climate models, and proactive infrastructure planning to help keep damage in check.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/configurable/content/journals$002fclim$002f38$002f4$002fJCLI-D-24-0098.1.xml?t:ac=journals%24002fclim%24002f38%24002f4%24002fJCLI-D-24-0098.1.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Climate</a>.



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Once in a thousand years? Extreme storms are becoming much more frequent

In July 2022, powerful thunderstorms pummeled the central United States,...

They’re everywhere - in oceans, soil, food, human blood, and even Antarctic snow. Trillions of micro- and nanoplastics, many smaller than a virus, are floating through the environment, too tiny to be seen and nearly impossible to eliminate.



A new study reveals exactly how these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-could-help-remove-nanoplastics-from-the-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic shards</a> are formed and why so many end up where they shouldn’t - inside living cells, where they can potentially alter DNA and pose serious risks to human health.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.engineering.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia Engineering</a>, led by Sanat Kumar, a professor of chemical engineering, have now uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the formation of these particles. 



The findings explain how most common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastics</a> shed nanoscopic pieces into the environment - not just when they’re burned or crushed, but slowly and quietly, just by sitting out in the open.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-nanoplastics-the-basics">Understanding nanoplastics - the basics</h2>



Nanoplastics are extremely small plastic particles, typically less than 1 micrometer in size. 



Unlike microplastics, which are still visible under a microscope, nanoplastics are so tiny they can cross biological barriers - entering cells, tissues, and even the brain in some cases. 



Their size and ability to travel within living organisms make them especially concerning from a health and environmental standpoint.



Due to their microscopic size, they are extremely difficult to remove once they enter the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plastics-lose-their-structure">How plastics lose their structure </h2>



Most plastics used today - roughly 75% - are made of semicrystalline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-polymers-that-are-considered-safe-release-harmful-toxins/">polymers</a>. These materials have a layered structure that makes them strong, flexible, and long-lasting. Under a microscope, they look like stacks of alternating hard and soft materials.



The hard layers consist of tightly ordered crystals, while the soft ones are more like a jumbled mass. These soft layers act like glue, holding the tougher crystalline sections together. 



This delicate balance gives plastic its unique strength - but also its fragility.



Kumar and his team found that the soft layers degrade first, especially when exposed to environmental conditions like heat, light, and moisture. 



"What we show in the new study is how easily those soft connectors break even under quiescent conditions such as in a landfill,” he explained. 



Once the soft layers give out, the hard crystalline pieces no longer hold anything in place - and they scatter into the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-nanoplastics-shed">How nanoplastics shed</h2>



When these crystalline fragments break loose, they become micro- or nanoplastics. These particles don’t break down easily. 



In fact, they can linger in the environment for centuries. Worse, their tiny size allows them to travel through the air, water, and even the human body.



Some of the smallest nanoplastics are small enough to pass through the membranes of human cells. 



“These pieces float around, and some end up in human bodies,” Kumar said. “The smallest pieces pass through cells and into the nucleus, where they can start messing with DNA.” 



Because of their shape and persistence, these fragments may behave similarly to asbestos. This disturbing trend is raising concerns about their potential links to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-linked-to-health-issues-including-cancer-and-infertility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a>, heart disease, and other long-term health problems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-materials-that-shed-fewer-nanoplastics">Materials that shed fewer nanoplastics </h2>



One solution, Kumar suggests, lies in engineering better plastics. The team’s findings indicate that reinforcing soft layers of semicrystalline polymers makes them more resilient. 



Engineers could design materials that shed fewer nanoplastics over time.



"Focus needs to be placed on this point, to reduce the amount of micro- and nanoplastics created by normal polymer degradation," said Kumar.



Changing the composition of these layers wouldn’t necessarily mean sacrificing plastic's strength or flexibility, but it could significantly slow down the breakdown process that leads to harmful shedding.



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



Today, only about 2% of plastic gets recycled. For many companies, it’s simply cheaper to throw it away. But Kumar argues that this way of thinking doesn’t take into account the hidden health costs of pollution. 



“If you just throw plastic into the environment, it creates micro- and nanoplastics that look like they are going to cause health problems,” said Kumar. 



Reframing the issue could make a compelling case for additional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-scientists-are-using-air-to-recycle-plastic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recycling</a> investments. The medical costs for diseases linked to nanoplastics are staggering. 



The financial impact is stark when we consider cancer and cardiovascular issues. “Maybe it’s actually cheaper to recycle,” Kumar argued.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-and-safer-plastics">Smarter and safer plastics</h2>



This new understanding of how nanoplastics form opens the door to smarter, safer plastic design. Modern research is reinforcing the urgency of this global plastic crisis. 



Humans can reduce these harmful particles with innovative waste management solutions and increased recycling.



The Columbia team’s findings serve as a sobering reminder that the plastics we rely on daily - from food packaging to water bottles - don’t disappear when we throw them away. 



Plastics quietly degrade into invisible particles, which can travel into our bodies and the broader ecosystem, with consequences we are only beginning to understand.



“If you think about it that way, suddenly the cost of inaction doesn’t seem so low,” Kumar concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58233-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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How does everyday plastic turn into dangerous micro and nanoplastics? Scientists found out

They’re everywhere - in oceans, soil, food, human blood, and...

Urban trees have become popular guinea pigs for studying how climate change might affect plant life in the future. Predicting these effects is complex as there are numerous variables - shifting temperatures, rainfall, soil conditions, and genetics.



To simplify the task, many researchers compare plants growing in cities with those in nearby rural areas. The idea is that cities form heat islands, where concrete and buildings trap warmth, raising local temperatures by a few degrees.



These spots offer a natural glimpse into how plants might respond in a warmer world. But recent research from scientists at <a href="https://www.mit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a> and <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a> suggests this common method may be giving us a false sense of security - at least when it comes to forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-trees-could-hide-climate-risks">City trees could hide climate risks</h2>



City trees, it turns out, aren’t telling the whole story. While comparing urban and rural plant life seems straightforward, the researchers found that the trees growing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-the-best-option-to-reduce-the-urban-heat-island-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban heat islands</a> often have less genetic diversity than their rural counterparts.



This hidden difference changes the way they respond to heat. In fact, it might be masking the full impact of climate change. 



“The appeal of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tackling-urban-heat-experts-plan-to-cool-a-desert-city-by-4-5c/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban temperature</a> gradients is, well, it's already there,” said David Des Marais, one of the researchers. “We can't look into the future, so why don't we look across space, comparing rural and urban areas?”



The data is readily available, which has made this approach popular among ecologists. 



But even though they knew the method wasn’t perfect - differences in soil nutrients such as nitrogen were already a known issue - researchers still saw urban trees as a useful stand-in to test the possible effects of future conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-vs-rural-trees-genetic-mismatch">City vs. rural trees: Genetic mismatch</h2>



This latest study took a different approach. Instead of just comparing how trees grow in the city and the countryside, the researchers looked at their genetics as well.



Specifically, they focused on red oaks in and around Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in the Harvard Forest in rural central Massachusetts. 



The project actually began during the pandemic. With travel limited, the researchers started studying trees close to home.



Over three years, they gathered temperature data, tracked when trees began to leaf out in spring, and analyzed the trees’ genomes. What they discovered was surprising.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/city-trees_red-oak-genotypes_respond-differently-heat_credit-PNAS_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/city-trees_red-oak-genotypes_respond-differently-heat_credit-PNAS_1s.webp" alt="Meghan Blumstein studied red oak genotypes across New England, concentrating on trees that were within reach in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She then collaborated with people doing research at the Harvard Forest, a research forest in rural central Massachusetts. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025)" class="wp-image-1964704"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Meghan Blumstein studied red oak genotypes across New England, concentrating on trees that were within reach in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She then collaborated with people doing research at the Harvard Forest, a research forest in rural central Massachusetts. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025)</figcaption></figure>



“So, lo and behold, you think you're only letting one variable change in your model, which is the temperature difference from an urban to a rural setting,” Des Marais explained. “But in fact, it looks like there was also a genotypic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-trees-protect-their-genetic-diversity-for-millions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> that was not being accounted for.”



Urban red oaks were genetically different from rural red oaks. And those genetic differences made city trees more resistant to warmer temperatures. 



As a result, urban trees didn’t show the same level of sensitivity to heat that rural trees did. 



Because of this, previous studies comparing plant responses in cities and rural areas may have underestimated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/northern-forests-are-being-transformed-by-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how forests will react to global warming</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-affects-climate-predictions">How this affects climate predictions</h2>



“Initially, we saw these results and we were sort of like, oh, this is a bad thing,” Des Marais said. “Ecologists are getting this heat island effect wrong, which is true.” But there’s an upside: the problem is fixable.



“It's not that much more work, because sequencing genomes is so cheap and so straightforward. Now, if someone wants to look at an urban-rural gradient and make these kinds of predictions, well, that's fine. You just have to add some information about the genomes,” explained Marais.



The lack of genetic diversity in urban trees actually makes sense. For decades, growers have selected varieties that can survive harsh city conditions, including poor soil, pollution, and inconsistent drainage. 



Over time, this trial-and-error approach has narrowed the genetic pool of city trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-global-assessments">What this means for global assessments</h2>



The implications are bigger than a few city parks. These urban-to-rural comparisons are part of the toolset used by organizations, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPCC</a>), to make global predictions.



“When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases its regular reports on the status of the climate, one of the tools the IPCC has to predict future responses to climate change with respect to temperature are these urban-to-rural gradients.”



“If these results are generally true beyond red oaks, this suggests that the urban heat island approach to studying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-genetics-research-just-got-a-lot-easier-with-a-simple-trick/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant response to temperature</a> is under predicting how strong that response is.”



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



This study doesn’t throw out the idea of using urban environments to study climate change. It just asks researchers to look a little deeper. 



Adding a genetic lens to these comparisons could make future predictions more accurate - and help us better prepare our forests for the changes ahead. 



As climate pressures increase, getting these predictions right could be the difference between a thriving forest and one in decline.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408564122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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City trees might be misleading us about climate change impact

Urban trees have become popular guinea pigs for studying how...

Microplastics are showing up in more and more places where they were never meant to be. This time, it's inside the organs of sea turtles, including in their reproductive systems.



That’s the troubling conclusion of a new study that examined stranded loggerhead sea turtles and found tiny plastic particles throughout their bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-turtle-bodies-full-of-microplastics">Sea turtle bodies full of microplastics</h2>



The research, conducted by scientists from the <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Manchester</a>, focused on 10 turtles that were accidentally caught in fishing nets and later recovered by the <a href="https://www.oceanografic.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oceanogràfic Foundation</a> of Valencia.



The team discovered significant levels of microplastics in male reproductive tissues and found the particles in other major organs in both male and female turtles. 



These included the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, stomach, intestines, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous fat, and even the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-reach-turtle-fertility-organs">Microplastics reach turtle fertility organs</h2>



This is the first study to offer direct evidence that microplastics can travel from the gut to other parts of the body in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-plastic-items-found-in-deceased-sea-turtles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea turtles</a>.



The findings suggest that these particles don’t just pass through the digestive system - they may end up accumulating in places that are critical to the animals’ health and reproduction.



“Microplastics are a pervasive marine environmental pollutant, on a par with other global threats such as climate change and ozone depletion," said lead author Leah Costello, a Ph.D. researcher at the University of Manchester.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sea-turtles_microplastics_internal-invasion_illustration_credit-Marine-Environmental-Research_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sea-turtles_microplastics_internal-invasion_illustration_credit-Marine-Environmental-Research_1s.webp" alt="Graphical abstract of microplastics invading the internal organs of sea turtles. Credit: Marine Environmental Research (2025)" class="wp-image-1964694"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Graphical abstract of microplastics invading the internal organs of sea turtles. Credit: Marine Environmental Research (2025)</figcaption></figure>



"Our study is the first to show direct evidence of the presence of microplastics in the reproductive and other organs of loggerhead sea turtles.” 



Sea turtles already face many pressures from human activity and although we have been aware that they ingest plastic throughout their range, the finding of microplastics in almost every tissue sample was quite shocking. 



"These findings show that even seemingly healthy individuals could be under physiological stress, impacting the reproductive success of vulnerable and recovering populations," Costello continued.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scale-and-composition-of-the-pollution">Scale and composition of the pollution</h2>



The analysis found that nearly every tissue sample - 98.8% to be exact - contained foreign microparticles. Around 70% of those were identified as microplastics.



The most common types were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-plastic-straws-degrade-faster-than-others/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polypropylene</a>, polyester, and polyethylene.



Polypropylene is often used in food packaging, bottle caps, ropes, and personal care products, all of which can end up in the ocean. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disposable-coffee-cups-release-trillions-of-plastic-particles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polyethylene</a>, the material used in plastic bags, poses a direct threat to turtles that often mistake it for jellyfish and ingest it directly. 



Size-wise, the largest median particles (about 25 microns) were found in the intestines and fat tissue. The smallest particles (around 15 microns) showed up in the stomach and reproductive organs.



Polyester microfibers, shed from clothing, are also a major contributor to marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-found-in-every-aquatic-species-tested/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a>. In a particularly striking finding, the scientists visually confirmed cotton microfibers embedded in heart tissue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-impact-of-microplastics">Long-term impact of microplastics</h2>



Each year, an estimated 3 million tons of primary microplastics are released into the environment. On top of that, another 5.3 million tons of larger plastics break down into smaller particles over the same time.



Sea turtles, which can retain plastics in their digestive systems for up to four months, may be absorbing these particles into their bloodstream, allowing them to spread to other organs.



The potential health consequences could be serious. Microplastics have already been linked to inflammation in other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a>, and similar effects are suspected in turtles.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sea-turtles_microplastics_heart-tissue_credit-Marine-Environmental-Research_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sea-turtles_microplastics_heart-tissue_credit-Marine-Environmental-Research_1s.webp" alt="Plastic fiber lodged in sea turtle heart. Credit: University of Manchester" class="wp-image-1964692"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Plastic fiber lodged in sea turtle heart. Credit: University of Manchester</figcaption></figure>



“Microplastic accumulation is likely to be associated with organ damage and toxicity in these incredible marine reptiles that can live for 70 years,” said co-author Professor Holly Shiels from the University of Manchester.



“Of particular concern is the impact on reproduction, with implications on growth, development and viability of offspring which could spell trouble for the stability of these already vulnerable sea turtle populations. However, further studies are required to more broadly assess the biological and health impacts of microplastic on sea turtle reproduction," Shiels concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deeper-problem-than-we-realized">Deeper problem than we realized</h2>



The findings raise urgent questions about how plastics are affecting wildlife far beyond the obvious signs of entanglement or ingestion. 



These invisible microplastics could be disrupting key biological systems in turtles and other animals already under threat.



As research continues, what’s clear is that microplastics are not just a surface-level issue. They’re working their way deep into living creatures - sometimes right into the organs that are essential for species survival.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113625001576?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Environmental Research</a>.



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Microplastics found in 99 percent of tested sea turtles' internal organ tissue

Microplastics are showing up in more and more places where...

Offshore,Construction,Platform,For,Production,Oil,And,Gas,,Oil,And

Fossil fuels are stoking up a web of crises that hurt both people and the planet, according to a recent review. Though the problem spans the globe, the United States - being the world’s top oil and gas producer - plays a central role. 



As experts pointed, coal, oil, and gas aren’t just driving the climate crisis; they’re also harming our health, widening social inequalities, devastating wildlife, and contributing to massive plastics and agrochemical pollution. 



The authors also provide practical ways to phase out fossil <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuel-pollution-is-causing-disease-disaster-and-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fuels</a> fairly and swiftly, and replace them with clean energy and safer materials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-fuels-and-a-warming-world">Fossil fuels and a warming world</h2>



One of the review’s core points is that fossil fuels make up roughly 90% of all human-caused carbon dioxide emissions. 



Those emissions trap heat, warm the planet, and fuel record-breaking weather disasters like hurricanes, droughts, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwaves</a>. 



Lead author Shaye Wolf from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>, calls for a fast shift away from dirty energy. 



“Fossil fuels are killing us,” she said. “Clean, renewable energy is here, it’s affordable, and it will save millions of lives and trillions of dollars once we make it the centerpiece of our economy.” 



The scientific consensus is clear: if we keep burning fossil fuels at the current rate, we’re locking ourselves into ever-worsening climate chaos.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-fuels-cause-deadly-pollution">Fossil fuels cause deadly pollution</h2>



The review highlights how burning coal, oil, and gas leads to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-weakens-brain-function-and-focus-in-daily-tasks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air pollution</a>&nbsp;that causes millions of premature deaths each year, including hundreds of thousands in the United States alone. 



It’s not just about breathing difficulties or lung disease. Climate change, propelled by these emissions, amplifies extreme weather, spreads disease, and threatens food and water supplies.&nbsp;



Researchers argue that governments should halt new fossil fuel projects and begin winding down existing ones. 



According to David J.X. González at <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Berkeley</a>, “fossil fuel pollution impacts health at every stage of life,” from pregnancy complications to mental health issues. 



Because of this, swapping out fossil fuel operations near schools, homes, and hospitals with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clean-energy-biodiversity-wildlife-habitats-delicate-balancing-act/">clean energy</a> infrastructure is an urgent step.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unequal-burdens-and-injustice">Unequal burdens and injustice</h2>



While everyone feels the effects of climate change, some communities suffer more than others. Neighborhoods adjacent to oil refineries or power plants - sometimes called “fenceline communities” - are often made up of low-income residents or people of color.&nbsp;



Past policies, such as redlining, trapped these communities near toxic sites. Robin Saha from the <a href="https://www.umt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Montana</a>, argues that these areas have long been treated as “sacrifice zones.”



But clean energy investments can reverse this trend. By prioritizing pollution cleanup and safer infrastructure in these vulnerable places, society can correct decades of injustice and improve public health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-fuels-drive-animal-extinction">Fossil fuels drive animal extinction</h2>



It’s not only humans who are in danger. Scientists predict that if fossil fuel consumption continues unchecked, we could lose up to one-third of all animal and plant species in the next 50 years.&nbsp;



The review emphasizes protecting carbon-rich habitats like forests and wetlands, which help slow climate change while giving&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sulawesi-macaques-face-unknown-threats-from-plastic-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>&nbsp;a fighting chance. Yet solar and wind projects should be carefully sited to avoid damaging sensitive ecosystems.



The authors argue that a rapid shift to green energy can happen in a way that respects natural habitats and prevents further species loss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastics-chemicals-and-more-pollution">Plastics, chemicals, and more pollution</h2>



An overlooked part of the fossil fuel story involves plastics. Oil and gas serve as the feedstock for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastics</a> that taint our air, water, soil, and food systems. 



Microplastics are now found in everything from sea turtles to human blood and placentas. 



On top of that, chemical-heavy fertilizers and pesticides made from petrochemicals wreak havoc on farmland, pollute waterways, and raise health concerns. 



The review suggests cutting back plastic production, removing hazardous chemicals, and encouraging farming methods that rely less on fossil-fuel-derived inputs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-industry-obstruction-and-political-barriers">Industry obstruction and political barriers</h2>



The fossil fuel industry’s longtime disinformation campaign is another hurdle. Naomi Oreskes, a professor at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a>, notes that major oil and gas companies have spent decades sowing doubt about climate science while collecting generous government subsidies.&nbsp;



The authors stress that ending these subsidies and redirecting public money to renewable energy and efficiency upgrades is vital to driving real change. 



They argue that time spent denying or delaying climate action translates to more harm for communities worldwide.



In the end, the review delivers a straightforward message: we can’t solve the climate crisis, protect human health, or save wildlife unless we break our dependence on fossil fuels. 



That means putting a stop to new extraction, dismantling existing operations, and ensuring that low-income and minority communities - who’ve borne the brunt of pollution - benefit first from clean energy. 



It also means placing real protections on forests, wetlands, and other habitats that store carbon and shelter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity</a>. 



Finally, the authors maintain that honest conversations and strong political resolve can pave the way to a future that is powered by renewables, one where people aren’t forced to trade away their health or the planet’s well-being just to keep the lights on.



The report is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/oocc/article/5/1/kgaf011/8099165" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford Open Climate Change</a>.



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More warnings: Fossil fuels are causing climate, health, and biodiversity crises

Fossil fuels are stoking up a web of crises that...

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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <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...

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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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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

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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

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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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