A mountain the size of a major Rocky Mountain peak is sitting under the Pacific Ocean north of Palau, and we finally have a map of it. The top rests about 800 feet below the surface, yet the whole <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-plastic-graveyard-uncovered-in-the-deep-mediterranean-sea/">structure</a> climbs roughly 2.6 miles from the deep seafloor.



The discovery comes from a NOAA Ocean Exploration cruise that focused on a rarely mapped stretch of ocean. The team put time on task, swept the area with high resolution acoustics, and confirmed the feature’s size and shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-ocean-mountain-discovered">Hidden ocean mountain discovered</h2>



The first public look at this feature appeared in a field <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/expedition-feature/live-from-the-field-updates-from-garret/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">log</a> posted on September 2, 2025, which described the mountain about 250 miles north of Palau and noted its summit depth and scale. That early report also set the stage for future dives and sampling.



This account comes from <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/multimedia/garret-odonnell-with-noaa-ship-okeanos-explorer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Garret O’Donnell</a> of NOAA Ocean Exploration, a 2025 <a href="https://seagrant.noaa.gov/communities/students/graduate-fellows/knauss-fellowship-program/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John A. Knauss</a> fellow aboard NOAA Ship <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Okeanos</a> Explorer. He is part of the mapping team that turned raw sonar pings into a usable chart of the seamount.



“It’s funny to me that were we not actively mapping these features, we would have no idea that a mountain half the height of Mount Everest lies directly beneath us," O'Donnell enthused. 



"Maybe one day the map we made of this behemoth will be used to navigate the feature with a remotely operated vehicle to get a closer look."



The numbers are straightforward and worth stating clearly. The peak sits about 800 feet down, and the full height from the abyssal plain to the summit is about 2.6 miles.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/seamount_ocean-mountain_palau_mapping_NOAA_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/seamount_ocean-mountain_palau_mapping_NOAA_1s.webp" alt="A map showing the depth extent of an unnamed seamount that was fully mapped as part of Beyond the Blue: Palau Mapping 2 expedition. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue" class="wp-image-1986402"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A map showing the depth extent of an unnamed seamount that was fully mapped as part of Beyond the Blue: Palau Mapping 2 expedition. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue</figcaption></figure>



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



A seamount is an <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ocean-fact/seamounts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">underwater mountain</a>, most often the remains of an extinct volcano that never broke the surface or later sank below the waves. 



Less than one tenth of a percent of the world’s seamounts have been explored, a figure that captures how much frontier still exists in the deep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-2025-ancient-creatures-with-modern-challenges/">ocean</a>.



Scientists estimate there are more than 100,000 large seamounts on Earth when you count those taller than about 3,280 feet. That global count was formalized in a 2010 <a href="https://topex.ucsd.edu/sandwell/publications/127.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> that combined satellite and ship data to build a census.



Why do these mountains matter for life in the ocean? Their shape changes currents, concentrates food, and creates habitats that attract fish, corals, and marine mammals.



This point was underscored by NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries team in a 2025 <a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/2025/reasons-seamounts-matter.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">explainer</a> on why seamounts matter.



The new map north of Palau gives researchers a fixed target for future biological work. It also gives navigators and managers a better picture of the seafloor in a region where charts can still be sparse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-new-ocean-mountain">Mapping the new ocean mountain</h2>



The workhorse tool was <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/sonar-multibeam/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multibeam sonar</a>, an array that sends out many sound beams and times their echoes to build a detailed picture of the seafloor. 



Each pass traces a swath under the ship, and careful overlapping tracks stitch those swaths into a complete map.



Teams call the survey <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unprecedented-collapse-panamas-ocean-upwelling-fails-for-the-first-time-in-40-years/">pattern</a> “mowing the lawn,” because it is an even, methodical sweep that favors coverage and consistency. 



That approach is slow, but it is the way to find steep slopes, ledges, and summit shapes that single passes can miss.



Precision matters, so crews run regular checks to keep the data within tight error limits. When the seas cooperate, this produces clean coverage that captures the real outline of a feature rather than a guess based on sparse lines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-palau-sanctuary-setting">Palau sanctuary setting</h2>



The mountain rises inside waters tied to the <a href="https://marine-conservation.org/blue-sparks/projects/palau-nms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palau National Marine Sanctuary</a>, a <a href="https://picrc.org/work/palau-national-marine-sanctuary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policy</a> that closed about 80 percent of the nation’s exclusive economic zone to extractive activity on January 1, 2020. 



This makes the area a natural lab for documenting geology and life with less pressure from fishing.



Palau’s sanctuary sits near deep water that drops quickly from the island shelf. That geography lets research ships reach study sites in hours rather than days, which helps when a weather window appears.



Protected status also changes the kinds of questions teams can ask. With a baseline in place, future work can track how untouched seamount habitats function over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explaining-the-size">Explaining the size</h2>



The summit at roughly 800 feet makes this feature accessible to surface ship sensors and, with the right systems, to human tended or autonomous vehicles. 



The full height of about 2.6 miles shows it is not a small bump, but a major structure that would not look out of place among prominent continental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-dolphin-day-2025-honoring-the-oceans-most-playful-minds/">peaks</a>.



For context, that height is in the same league as well known mountains on land. The comparison helps illustrate how much topography is hiding in plain sight beneath open water.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/seamount_ocean-mountain_palau_rov-tracks_NOAA_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/seamount_ocean-mountain_palau_rov-tracks_NOAA_1s.webp" alt="The location of the unnamed seamount mapped during the Beyond the Blue: Palau Mapping 2 expedition relative to the ship’s trackline shows the lawn mowing survey pattern and position north of Palau. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue" class="wp-image-1986404"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The location of the unnamed seamount mapped during the Beyond the Blue: Palau Mapping 2 expedition relative to the ship’s trackline shows the lawn mowing survey pattern and position north of Palau. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2025 Beyond the Blue</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-mountain-maps-matter">Ocean mountain maps matter</h2>



A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) can now be guided to interesting ledges and slopes rather than wandering. 



Targeted transects can record sponge and coral communities, fish schools, and any signs of mineral crusts that often coat old volcanic rock.



Water sampling can pair with environmental DNA (<a href="http://edna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eDNA</a>) analysis to list species without seeing them directly. Those data can set a baseline for the site, which is essential for tracking change.



Good <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bathymetry.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bathymetry</a> improves navigation by reducing the chance of surprise shallows or pinnacles near shipping routes. 



It also makes tsunami and circulation models more accurate, since seafloor shape affects how waves and currents move energy.



For research planning, a complete map is the difference between blind searching and directed work. It saves days of ship time and compresses campaigns into focused operations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-seamount-mapping">Future seamount mapping</h2>



The expedition that produced this map connects to a larger push to chart and understand Palau’s deeper waters. 



<a href="https://www.noaa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA</a> has outlined a multi-cruise <a href="https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/3-research-cruises-depart-to-improve-understanding-of-atlantic-and-southern-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plan</a> in the region, working with local partners to collect high resolution mapping data across the sanctuary.



Each new map reduces uncertainty and opens the door to more detailed work. It is a steady build toward a fuller view of the Pacific floor near Palau.



The global picture still frames the task. A widely cited census estimated more than 100,000 large seamounts worldwide, which shows how much there is left to find and study.



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Massive underwater mountain discovered that is larger than some peaks in the Rockies

A mountain the size of a major Rocky Mountain peak is sitting under the Pacific Ocean north of Palau, and we finally have a map of it. The top rests about 800 feet below the surface, yet the whole structure climbs roughly 2.6 miles from the deep seafloor. The discovery comes from a NOAA Ocean Exploration cruise that focused on a rarely mapped stretch of ocean. The team put time on task, swept the area with high resolution acoustics, and confirmed the feature’s size and shape. Hidden...

The <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA) is making forest regeneration and forest ecosystem management much easier thanks to easily accessible compilations of satellite data. 

It’s part of ESA’s <a href="https://tep.eo.esa.int/">Thematic Exploitation Platform</a> or TEP for short. There are now seven TEPs available to me make Earth Observation (EO) satellite data easily understandable and available. 

According to the ESA, the project is “a collaborative, virtual work environment providing access to EO data and the tools, processors, and Information and Communication Technology resources required to work with them, through one coherent interface.” 

Each of the seven platforms are dedicated to a particular geographic region, ecosystem, or concern. 

The platforms include data on geohazards, coastal environments, forestry, hydrology, polar regions, urban environments and food security.

The TEPs provide valuable insight and can help with widespread management and conservation. In Finland, for example, the forestry TEP helps landowners manage conifer seedlings and conifer populations. 

Conifers are the most common native species of tree and of vital economic importance to Finland, but managing conifers in forests can be a timely and costly process. 

Conifers need space to grow and often government incentives are given to property owners in order to cut down shrubs and plants that might hinder the seedling’s growth. 

Now, with TEP, forest owners need only search through the data to find <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/guardians-forest-ecological-preservation/">forest</a> maps that tell them what areas need attention. 

“The Forestry TEP allows us to map shrub coverage so that we can advise forest owners on the best time to manage regeneration areas. It can also be used to estimate how much work it will take to remove shrubs and the cost involved,” said Aki Hostikka from the <a href="https://www.metsakeskus.fi/node/321">Finnish Forest Centre</a> told ESA.

The Thematic Exploitation Platforms are still in their early phases, but as has been evidenced with the Finnish Forest Centre, the TEPs will be a valuable asset in monitoring and managing the Earth’s ecosystems. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Satellite data helps forest management and regeneration

The European Space Agency (ESA) is making forest regeneration and...

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the undeniable impacts of climate change, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has assembled a list of ten unusual weather occurrences… along with one insane (but not so unusual) fire tornado.

&nbsp;

Ocean freezes over in Massachusetts. 

In January 2018, the Winter Storm Grayson, also known as ‘the bomb cyclone,' caused certain sections of the northeastern coast to freeze over. Temperatures dropped below -20º F, making parts of the region resemble the shores of Alaska.

&nbsp;

Sahara Desert sees snow.

 In December of 2017, snow fell upon the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-falls-sahara-desert/">Saharan desert</a> town of Ain Sefra, Algiers in North Africa for the first time in 37 years. It only lasted for a day and then melted away. Temperatures in the Sahara can reach 136º F. 

&nbsp;

Wildfires burn western Greenland.

Much of Greenland is normally covered by ice. However, in August 2017, a satellite over western Greenland detected wildfires. There were more wildfires in Greenland in 2017 than any year since 2002.

&nbsp;

Hottest daily low temperature on record in Oman.

On June 17, 2017, the port city of Khasab, Oman earned the new world record for the “hottest daily low temperature” at 111.6º F.

&nbsp;

Peru devastated by El Niño floods.

The Los Angeles Times estimated $3.1 in damage, dozens of casualties, and hundreds of thousands of people left homeless in the South American country of Peru due to floods caused by a coastal El Niño storm in March of 2017.

&nbsp;

Bavarian town sees rainbow… arched over a tornado.

Kürnach, a small town about 60 miles from Frankfurt, saw a phantasmic white tornado swirling under a perfect rainbow in March of 2017. There was even reportedly footage of a secondary rainbow…

&nbsp;

Sierra Ski Resorts get too much snow.

In April 2017, California’s Sierra Nevada mountains went from snow-starved just two years earlier to 800 inches of snow. It was the wettest year for the region since the El Niño storms of 1982 and 1983. There was so much snow that ski season was extended into August.

&nbsp;

Oklahoma goes from nearly 100 degrees to snow in three days. 

In February 2017, the town of Magnum, Oklahoma registered record-breaking heat of 99.4 º F, only to see snow fall three days later on Valentine’s Day. The ground was too hot to result in any visible snow cover.

&nbsp;

First February tornadoes ever recorded hit Massachusetts. 

In February 2017, the Massachusetts towns of Conway and Goshen were ripped through by a pair of tornadoes. These were the first tornadoes to hit the state in the month of February since weather patterns started being recorded in the 1950s.

&nbsp;

Lightning strikes Seattle’s Space Needle while it snows.

It is indeed a rare occurrence for winter snow and thunder to happen at the same time. In late February 2017, lightning struck the Space Needle while snow fell upon the city of Seattle. On average, there is a less than .5 percent chance of both snow and thunder happening there between November and March in that region.

&nbsp;

Fire tornado captured in Western Australia.

In January 2017, a fire whirl over 3,000 feet high was filmed in the midwest region of Western Australia. While not entirely uncommon to the region, video footage of such an occurrence is hard to find. 

--

By <a href="mailto:dajostep@gmail.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 craziest weather occurrences

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the...

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water are becoming more acidic. While it is widely known that rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) have caused significant ocean acidification, this is some of the first evidence to show that freshwater bodies are absorbing extra <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-levels-record-highs/">CO2</a> as well.

The researchers discovered that some freshwater ecosystems have become more acidic with rising partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). 

In lab studies, the team demonstrated that increasing levels of freshwater pCO2 negatively affect at least one core species. The scientists identified a tiny freshwater crustacean that becomes unable to defend itself after exposure to pCO2.

The findings suggest that increasing CO2 levels may be having widespread effects on freshwater ecosystems. Dr. Linda Weiss of <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/index_en.htm">Ruhr-University Bochum</a> in Germany is the lead author of the study.

“Ocean acidification is often called ‘climate change's equally evil twin,’ and many current investigations describe tremendous effects of rising CO2 levels on marine ecosystems,” said Dr. Weiss. “However, freshwater ecosystems have been largely overlooked. Our data indicate another pCO2 problem: pCO2-dependent freshwater acidification.”

Researchers have shown that ocean acidification can have negative consequences for marine food chains, nutrient cycles,  biodiversity, and overall productivity. Despite all of these potential issues, very little is known about freshwater acidification.

To investigate whether or not freshwater bodies were undergoing a transformation similar to that of ocean acidification, the research team focused a study on four freshwater reservoirs in Germany. 

After analyzing over 35 years of data that spanned from 1981 to 2015, the experts confirmed that there has been a continuous rise in pCO2 levels over this time period. The team found that freshwater bodies may even be acidifying at a faster rate than the oceans.

The researchers also developed a study to closely examine the impact of pCO2 on freshwater crustaceans called Daphnia, which are a primary source of food for many larger marine creatures.

Daphnia respond to predators by producing helmets and spikes that make them difficult to eat. The research team found that rising pCO2 levels get in the way of the Daphnia’s ability to put up its defenses.

“High levels of CO2 reduce the Daphnia's ability to detect their predator,” said Weiss. “This reduces the expression of morphological defenses, rendering them more vulnerable.” 

Weiss explained that this phenomenon needs to be studied on a global scale. She said that the findings of the research have raised the question, “Are all freshwater impoundments prone to this kind of acidification?”

The study is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Freshwater bodies have become more acidic with rising CO2 levels

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water...

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever investigations into how the public perceives threats to the world's oceans. The study revealed that the majority of people feel that the marine environment is at serious risk from human activities and support action for ocean protection. 

The researchers analyzed a set of public opinion surveys regarding marine issues that involved over 32,000 people in 21 countries. They found that 70 percent of respondents believe that the marine environment is directly threatened by human activities, and that 45 percent of participants feel that this threat is either high or very high.

The respondents identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-reduce-plastic-pollution/">pollution</a> and fishing as the most urgent issues, followed by habitat alteration, climate change, and biodiversity loss. 

Heike Lotze is a researcher at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University</a> in Canada and the lead author of the study. “People around the world are aware that the ocean is threatened and what are the major threats to the ocean,” said Lotze.

Over 70 percent of respondents also supported marine protected areas (MPAs), which are regions established to conserve natural resources found in the ocean. MPAs help to protect marine ecosystems by restricting human activities such as fishing, habitat alteration, or oil and gas extraction.

“There's a lot of scientific thought put into ocean conservation around the world. But there's much less information out there on what people actually think about the ocean and some of the protection measures,” said study co-author Jennifer O'Leary. 

“This is important because anytime we are introducing protection measures, we're asking people to change their behavior. And we know from behavioral research that focusing on what people already think is important can make changes easier for people to accept."

While the public was found to perceive pollution as the biggest issue to marine environments, scientists typically rank habitat loss and fishing as the highest threats. The researchers also discovered that, while the majority of the public supports MPAs, there were many respondents who were unclear on exactly what an MPA is and how many are already established.

“What surprised me about the results was that most people overestimated the amount of ocean area being protected, and thus have a more optimistic view of ocean conservation and management than there actually is,” said Lotze. “However, most people still wanted to see much more ocean area protected than currently is, thus there is a clear wish for more ocean conservation.”

The study will be published in the February issue of the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ocean-and-coastal-management">Ocean and Coastal Management</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global public agrees oceans are in trouble, supports protection

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever...

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles along Australia's northern Great Barrier Reef (nGBR) are undergoing some dramatic changes as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/river-flooding-climate-change/">climate change</a>. The study revealed that turtles born on the region's warmest beaches are now 99.8 percent female. 

The sex of a sea turtle is not determined genetically, as it is in mammals. According to the researchers, cooler temperatures produce more males and warmer temperatures produce more females. For example, the experts found that turtles being born on a cooler beach just south of their study site are only 65 percent female.

The researchers explained that the pivotal temperature, which will produce 50 percent males and 50 percent females, varies across different species and nesting groups.

The experts used data on air and sea surface temperatures to estimate sand temperatures that nests would have experienced in the nGBR from 1960 to 2016. The team used a temperature model which they acknowledged had some limitations, but said that this model “clearly shows that green turtle nests at Raine Island and Moulter Cay were consistently incubated above the pivotal temperature  since the early 1990s.”

Although sea turtles often choose to breed when the sand is slightly warmer than pivotal temperatures, global warming has boosted the temperature in the nGBR enough to really tip the gender scale. The researchers are concerned about what this means for sea turtles as temperatures continue to rise.

“While rising temperatures may initially result in increased female population sizes, the lack of male turtles will eventually impact the overall fertility of females in the population,” wrote the study authors. “For the nGBR, many of these questions will be answered as the adult population become increasingly female biased. As such, our study raises new concerns over the immediate threats of climate change to sea turtle populations.”

It remains unclear how the turtles will respond to this major gender shift. Males breed much more often than females, but this cannot likely compensate for such a large number of missing males. The researchers suggested that females may begin to seek out mates further south in the cooler climate.

The study authors said that this investigation “highlights the need for immediate management strategies aimed at lowering incubation temperatures at key rookeries to boost the ability of local turtle populations to adapt to the changing environment and avoid a population collapse - or even extinction.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change has made 99.8 percent of these sea turtles female

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles...

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-ice-storms/">climate change</a>, but its impact is already altering the global landscape.

The increasing frequency of severe weather, along with higher precipitation levels, has prompted more widespread river flooding around the world. Increasing flood protection will be a necessity for many countries, and researchers set out of to calculate the total necessary measures needed in a new study published in the journal Science Advances. 

The United States, parts of India and Africa, and several countries in Europe are most at risk of facing severe increases in river flooding. Unless additional protection measures are put in place, millions more could be affected than already are by flood damage.

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” said Sven Willner from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> and the study’s lead author. 

The team of researchers created comprehensive computer simulations using data from major rivers around the world, precipitation changes, and evaporation. Much of the climate data, including changes in rainfall, came from the largest modeling <a href="https://www.isimip.org/">intercomparison project of climate impacts</a>. 

Willner and his team found that if no adaptations are made in river flood management, the number of people affected by flooding will increase drastically.

In northern America, the number of people in high-risk river flood areas would jump from 0.1 million to 1 million, and in Asia, those numbers skyrocket from 70 million to 165 million. 

Co-author Ander Levermann noted that even countries with good infrastructure need to make changes in management and protection to keep people from losing their homes. 

The increases in river flood risks that will occur over the next several decades can be linked to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions already present in the atmosphere, which is why the researchers caution against doing nothing in the face of climate change. 

“If we act now, we can protect against the risks of the next two decades,” said Levermann. “But further climate change must be limited by cutting greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels to avoid risks that surpass our abilities to adapt.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

River flooding will increase worldwide due to climate change

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects...

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent over the years – whether the gardens and plants themselves are community projects or simply provide some greenery to the drab concrete and brick. While it may seem that the benefits of these plantings are only local and somewhat limited, they may actually provide a significant environmental impact when considered collectively.

New research from collaboration between <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> and Google provides an assessment of the value of urban agriculture, and the benefits it provides on a global scale. The findings are presented in “A Global Geospatial Ecosystems Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture,” in the current issue of <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2328-4277/">Earth's Future</a>.

“For the first time, we have a data-driven approach that quantifies the ecosystem benefits from urban agriculture,” says Matei Georgescu, an ASU associate professor of geographical sciences and urban planning and corresponding author of the paper. “Our estimates of ecosystem services show potential for millions of tons of food production, thousands of tons of nitrogen sequestration, billions of kilowatt hours of energy savings and billions of cubic meters of avoided storm runoff from agriculture in urban areas.”

Using the Google Earth Engine, the researchers analyzed global population, urban, meteorological, terrain, and Good and Agricultural Organization (FAO) datasets to arrive at their global scale estimates – and then aggregated them by country. The estimated value of four ecosystems services resulting from existing vegetation in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-grow-faster-cities/">urban areas</a> was found to be roughly $33 billion. This includes a projected annual food production of 100 to 180 million tons and energy savings of 14 to 15 billion kilowatt-hours.

If urban agriculture is implemented on a global scale, the overall annual worth is estimated to be as much as $80 to $160 billion, and could help feed a world that faces future challenges to industrial agriculture as a result of climate change. “We’ve known there are benefits to having these small plots of land in our cities, but we found that the benefits extend well beyond having fresh food in the hands of those who will consume it,” explains lead author Nicholas Clinton of Google, Inc. These benefits include improved access to healthy foods, and increased urban nitrogen fixation, pollination and control of storm water runoff, among others.

“Relatively temperate, developed or developing countries with the right mix of crops are expected to have the greatest incentives for urban agriculture,” he said. “These would include China, Japan, Germany and the U.S.,” says Clinton.

Overall, the research team found that the environmental and societal benefits of urban agriculture extend well beyond what we once previously thought. It would stand for the benefit of everyone if cities and countries looked to improve their urban agricultural efforts.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The benefits of urban agriculture may be greater than we thought

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent...

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even after a fire has been extinguished. This smoke, which contains fine particles and toxic gases, can be carried thousands of miles away from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/charcoal-wildfires-carbon-emissions/">fires</a>. In an unprecedented analysis, researchers have determined that these smoke plumes drastically affect air quality.

The study, which was led by Alexandra Larsen of <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, is the first of its kind to examine the long-term effects of wildfire smoke across the United States.

To measure the impact of wildfires on air quality, the researchers investigated relevant data collected between 2006 and 2013. Information analyzed by the team included satellite data on the presence and spread of smoke plumes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hazard Mapping System (HMS).

The researchers also used the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System, which measures daily levels of ozone and fine particulate matter.

The study revealed that ozone concentrations were 11.1 percent higher on days when plumes were visible compared to days when they were not. On days when smoke plumes could be seen, fine particle levels were found to be 33.1 percent higher than normal.

Larsen was surprised to discover that the presence of wildfire smoke also affected the ozone. While plumes had occurred only on 6-7 percent of days, these plumes accounted for 16 percent of unhealthy days due to small particles and 27 percent of unhealthy days due to ozone.

“Smoke-plume days accounted for a disproportionate number of days with elevated air quality index levels, indicating that moderate increases in regional air pollution due to large fires and long-distance transport of smoke can tip the air quality to unhealthy levels,” said Larsen.

The biggest impacts from wildfire smoke were found across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Smoke plumes over these states caused ozone concentrations to rise.

“Enhanced ozone production in urban areas is a concern because of the population size potentially impacted and because air pollution levels could be already elevated due to local and mobile sources,” said Larsen.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jes">Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Smoke and toxic gases travel thousands of miles after wildfires

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even...

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell in parts of the Sahara Desert this past weekend. In the early morning hours, up to 16 inches of snow covered the desert town of Ain Sefra in Algeria.

The town itself only got a couple of inches, but just outside of Ain Sefra there were snow-white sand dunes which are usually bright orange. 

Even though Ain Sefra is located around 3,547 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains, it is very rare to see snow here. 

“Cold air was pulled down south into North Africa over the weekend as a result of high pressure over Europe,” explained a representative of the Met Office. “The high pressure meant the cold weather extended further south than normal.”

With an average temperature of 99 degrees in the month of July, extreme heat is a much more familiar occurrence in Ain Sefra than freezing cold. And the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-deserts-world/">Sahara Desert</a> is not the only region of the world that is experiencing extreme weather. 

In the United States, Winter Storm Grayson dumped snow and ice as it charged up the East Coast from Florida to Maine with near-hurricane force last week, leaving behind brutally cold temperatures.

Meanwhile, Australia is experiencing its hottest summer in decades. The temperature in Sydney hit 117 degrees on Sunday, which is the highest recorded temperature in this region since 1939.

Snow fell in 2016 and 2017 in Ain Sefra, and the last time the area saw snow fall before that was 1979.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992549" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3-300x200.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>

[caption id="attachment_992550" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992550" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2-300x199.png" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a> Photo Credit: Discover Algeria on Twitter[/caption]

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/Discover_DZ/status/950054509723750400">Discover Algeria on Twitter</a>

Snow falls on the Sahara Desert for the third time in 40 years

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell...

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large elephants to single-celled organisms. But according to new research, no matter the size, geographic location, or lifespan, all species are given the same chance for survival. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom and published in the journal Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution. 

The report describes how all species are “fit” for survival with no species having an absolute advantage over the other. 

Each species transmits the same amount of energy to the next generation when reproducing. In other words, gram for gram, blue whales and bacteria give the same amount of energy to their offspring. 

“We found, rather astonishingly, by examining the production rate and the generation time of thousands of plants, animals, and microbes that each would pass on, on average, the same amount of energy to the next generation per gram of parent, regardless of size,” said  Charles A.S. Hall, one of the co-authors of the study.  

The research team built an energy allocation model using data that included rates of energy investment, growth and reproduction, generation times, and body sizes of hundreds of plants and animals.

The model showed an “equal fitness paradigm,” where no matter how opposite the relationship between growth rate and generation time, they all expelled the same amount of energy during reproduction. 

Smaller species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-food-shortages/">algae</a> have short lifespans and reproduce quickly, while larger species with longer life spans can have gestation periods that take years.

The results show that there is no real evolutionary advantage among the world’s species and that no matter how diverse the range of plants, animals, and organisms, each has the same chance of life and reproduction as the next. 

“There is no single way of living and using energy that is best," said Hall and his co-author James H. Brown. “Given the array of environmental conditions on the planet, one kind of organism might gain a temporary advantage, but such gains will soon be countered by other, competing organisms.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

All species have an equal chance of life, study finds

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large...

A friend of mine, Sasa, volunteered at the UN climate change conference COP23.  While she was there, she emailed me about a group, Guardians of the Forest, who visited COP23 to be heard.  

Guardians of the Forest went on a bus tour, reaching at the end Bonn, the host of COP23.  Along the way, Guardians of the Forest organized events in Cologne, Brussels, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.  The goal of the tour was to raise awareness of the plight of native peoples and their unique position in preserving natural environments.  

Guardians of the Forest is a group of indigenous people from all over the world, dedicated to conserving the environments they live in, the very source of their lives and unique cultures.  Sasa and I met in Madagascar, where we worked with local people on reforestation efforts; involving indigenous people in saving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mining-deforestation-amazon-rainforest/">rainforests</a> seems essential to both of us.  It goes beyond just rain forests in exotic locations though, it’s something that applies to landscapes, environments and species in the US.  It is important not to fall into the trap of thinking of native people as ‘noble savages’ who always look out for the environment.  The picture is complex but native cultures can show us different perspectives on the environment, something we desperately need.  In our western, science saturated society, animals, plants, even mountains are often seen as objects or ‘resources’, something to be used.  It’s of incredible importance to talk to people who see these things as a part of home.  Would the apple tree under which you shared your first kiss or buried your dog be a resource?

Mina Setra, a Guardian of the Forest of Indonesia, says it eloquently, “We (indigenous people) look after our forest; it is our life, our home and home of our ancestors. We are the best Guardians of the forest."

According to the Guardians of the Forest website, 40% of murdered environmental defenders in 2016 were indigenous peoples.  At the same time, indigenous peoples make up only 5% of the world’s population.  Some of these were people fighting not only for the environment but demanding basic rights and respect from large corporations like oil companies and their own governments.  The brutality and ambivalence faced by indigenous environmentalists worldwide is also mirrored in how native peoples in the US are treated.  The Standing Rock Sioux were virtually ignored by the government in their demand that no pipeline be put through their land, endangering their water supply.  Police descended on the Standing Rock protestors with concussion grenades, tear gas and violence.  

We also see how governments ignore these marginalized people in reference to Bear’s Ears National Monument.  The monument was declared because of a request from an alliance of several Native American governments.  Bear’s Ears was set to be the first national monument co-managed by Native American groups.  When Donald Trump shrank the monument by 85% he ignored this Indigenous input.  Ryan Zinke, Trump’s secretary of the interior didn’t even meet with Native American leaders before suggesting the reduction of the National Monument.

Native groups are incredibly important to the environment the world over.  Some national parks in Africa initially forced local indigenous people out, only to the detriment of the environment.  Some ecological interactions involve humans; even you and I.  Traditional people are usually more keenly aware of being part of a bigger ecosystem.  Traditional knowledge, local specific knowledge of an environment is key to finding our way back to a natural balance within the environment.

In Brazil, large tracts of rainforest have been left alone for the time being, with traffic into them severely limited.  These forests are preserved not for the environment itself but to give the native peoples living uncontacted within the right to maintain their traditional lifestyle.  Working for these native people’s rights also has the added benefit of course of preserving pristine Amazonian forest.

The Guardians of the Forest make the problems indigenous people face very clear as well as the cause of it.  Olo Villalaz from Gunayala tribe in Panama, also a member of AMBP an alliance of native peoples and forests said, 

“People were very interested for our bus tour, we brought a message about situation in the rainforest, and how we all have to unite  to save the world and how they can help. People in Europe usually do not know that soya come from bloody place for us, indigenous people. However, when people in Europe became aware of that, they want to start using sustainable products. The other threat for indigenous people is a mining expansion; especially it is a problem in Colombia. In Hamburg and other ports in Europe, it is possible to see mountains of charcoal that was brought from these mines. 

Even that developed countries are looking for sustainable production and renewable energy, they still rely on the coal for the energy production, and many people in developing countries, especially indigenous communities, are suffering because of that. Many companies are still using destructive methods to extract the commodities. It is necessary to speak to politicians, to explain what is happening in our countries, and that sustainable development is a necessity”  

Environmental justice was a big subject at the round table the Guardians of the forest took part in.  It brings to mind that environmentalism isn’t just about creating a nice place to play, it is about a way of life and living itself for the most vulnerable.  We must remember that our actions as consumers as interconnected people in a web of species have long reaching consequences.  

David, from Guarani tribe in Brazil “Everything has its spirits, every single element of nature taught us how to live. People that are disconnected from the nature are trying to kill us, remove us from our home. We are only defending our way of living, which is the most sacred to us. We have wisdom to leave in the nature; we are all leaving in the big communities via the voices of our ancestors. Day by day. We need to respect our land, she is our mother, and she teach us how to live in the harmony”.

Most of the problems that Indigenous people face are coming from overconsumption of the developed world; palm oil, raw materials, soya, fossil fuels. There is a necessity to raise the public awareness and to reduce the consumption.

--

<a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Exclusive By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a> and Sasa Danon

Guardians of the Forest: Natives and ecological preservation

A friend of mine, Sasa, volunteered at the UN climate...

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead to the collapse of marine food webs, according to a new study. The research demonstrates that increased ocean temperatures reduce the transfer of energy from the primary producers at the seafloor to the intermediate consumers, and ultimately to predators at the top of marine food chain.

These restrictions on vital energy flow can potentially lead to a decrease in food availability for top predators. The disruption can also lead to negative impacts for many other marine species located throughout the rest of the food chain as well.

"Healthy food webs are important for maintenance of species diversity and provide a source of income and food for millions of people worldwide," said lead author Hadayet Ullah of the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a>. “Therefore, it is important to understand how climate change is altering marine food webs in the near future.”

Researchers constructed 12 large 1,600-liter tanks to mimic the levels of ocean temperatures and acidity which could be brought on by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-humidity/">climate change</a>.

The tanks held miniature food webs which included many species such as algae, shrimp, sponges, snails, and fishes. The containers were maintained under future climate conditions for six months.

Over the course of six months, the researchers measured the survival, growth, biomass, and productivity of all animal and plant species, and applied these measurements to an advanced food web model.

“Whilst climate change increased the productivity of plants, this was mainly due to an expansion of cyanobacteria (small blue-green algae),” said Ullah. “This increased primary productivity does not support food webs, however, because these cyanobacteria are largely unpalatable and they are not consumed by herbivores.”

Projecting how ecosystems will function under the influence of global warming is a complicated undertaking, and most research has been focused on only a few species at a time.

“If we are to adequately forecast the impacts of climate change on ocean food webs and fisheries productivity, we need more complex and realistic approaches, such as large mesocosms that provide more reliable data for sophisticated food web models," said project leader Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.

Marine ecosystems are already being transformed by global warming, and it is critical to understand these effects worldwide in order to better protect these food webs.

The study is published in the open access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marine food webs could collapse under future climate change

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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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



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.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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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



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.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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