Hotter summers are not just uncomfortable, they also changing the odds of getting sick from food. A new analysis links warmer air, higher moisture, specific dewpoint ranges, and longer daylight to spikes in Salmonella infections across two European countries. 



The team showed that risk climbs when average temperatures rise above about 50°F and days stretch past 12 to 15 hours.



Lead author <a href="https://www.londonntd.org/research/researchers/laura-c-gonzalez-villeta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Laura C. González Villeta</a> of the University of Surrey’s <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/school-veterinary-medicine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Veterinary Medicine</a> led work that tied laboratory confirmed Salmonella cases to local weather conditions using a transparent statistical approach.



The bacteria called Salmonella cause <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15697-salmonella" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food poisoning</a> that often brings diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Common symptoms usually start within hours to a few days and most people recover without treatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salmonella-and-the-weather">Salmonella and the weather</h2>



Researchers linked daily case counts from the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK Health Security Agency</a> to detailed weather from the <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Met Office</a>, then checked the model with national surveillance data from the Netherlands. 



They examined 14 factors, including temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, sunshine, and dewpoint temperature.



Instead of forcing a complex equation to fit the data, the group calculated a conditional incidence that directly describes how often cases occur when specific combinations of weather are present. 



That method lets you see which trio of conditions lines up with higher infection counts without hiding the signal inside a black box.



The approach showed consistency when moved from one country to another after accounting for reporting differences. That matters because public <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/to-get-fit-and-stay-healthy-walk-this-exact-distance-every-day/">health</a> tools work best when they travel across borders without losing accuracy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-model-found">What the model found</h2>



Risk rose when average air temperatures topped roughly 50°F, day length sat between 12 and 15 hours, and dewpoint hovered around the mid 40s to about 50°F. The same pattern appeared regardless of location.



Not every weather knob seemed important. Wind speed, air pressure, and sunshine duration had little or no association with reported cases in this dataset.



Seasonal peaks in late summer were reproduced when the model fed on local weather. That gave officials a way to anticipate risk based on last week’s skies rather than waiting for lab reports to trickle in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-weather-boosts-salmonella">How weather boosts Salmonella</h2>



Broader evidence lines up with these findings. A large <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530612/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta-analysis</a> of 23 Salmonella studies found about a 5 percent rise in risk for every 1.8°F increase in temperature.



Europe’s outbreak history shows why this topic matters. In 2018, nearly one in three foodborne outbreaks in the European Union were caused by Salmonella, according to an EFSA <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/salmonella-most-common-cause-foodborne-outbreaks-european-union" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>.



That baseline risk has not disappeared in recent years. Surveillance summaries still identify Salmonella as a leading cause of foodborne outbreaks across the region, with eggs and mixed foods often involved, as noted in EFSA’s public <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7666" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publication</a>.



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



“The study highlights how weather plays a significant role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-overlooked-sources-of-antibiotic-resistant-salmonella/">Salmonella</a> outbreaks and provides a valuable tool for predicting future risks and tailoring interventions, particularly in the context of climate change,” said Dr. Villeta. The work is not just about describing patterns.&nbsp;



Weather aware forecasting can help agencies time inspections, target hygiene messaging, and plan surge capacity when the odds of illness tick up. 



Food businesses can also adjust cold chain checks, staff training, and consumer advice when riskier conditions line up.



Individuals are not powerless either. Keep cold foods cold, cook poultry and eggs to safe temperatures, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and wash hands and surfaces, especially when the air is warm and the day runs long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-tech-forecasting-tools">High-tech forecasting tools</h2>



Most forecasting tools lean on regression or time series fits that struggle with tangled, non linear interactions. 



The conditional incidence approach shows how combinations of temperature, humidity, and daylight align with cases, which is easier to interpret and to explain.



That clarity helps separate what drives risk from noise. It also allows public health teams to identify factor combinations that do not explain much, saving effort where it will not pay off.



Model outputs replicated real world peaks and mapped risk at fine spatial scales. That is the level where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childrens-screen-time-shapes-their-mental-health-as-teens/">health</a> departments and food producers make day to day choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-and-next-steps">Limits and next steps</h2>



The model tracks reported cases, which understate total infections. Even so, de trending and validation across two countries suggest the weather signals are real.



Future tests in different climates and income settings would show how far the method travels. Adding data on livestock density, land use, and consumer behavior could sharpen predictions without losing transparency.



Better early warnings do not replace basic food safety, but they can make those steps more timely. That is useful as warmer summers and longer heat seasons become more common.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journalofinfection.com/article/S0163-4453(25)00004-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Infection</a>.



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Warmer weather is impacting global food supply, but not in the way you think

Hotter summers are not just uncomfortable, they also changing the odds of getting sick from food. A new analysis links warmer air, higher moisture, specific dewpoint ranges, and longer daylight to spikes in Salmonella infections across two European countries. The team showed that risk climbs when average temperatures rise above about 50°F and days stretch past 12 to 15 hours. Lead author Dr. Laura C. González Villeta of the University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine led work that tied laboratory confirmed Salmonella cases to local weather...

When you’re making your New Year’s Resolutions, it’s easy to reflect on the past year and see only regrets. You’re looking at things to change and improve, after all, not the good things.

But you should take the time to celebrate the positives, too – all the progress made and the happy events. Here are eight good things that happened for the Earth in 2016. Let them inspire you as you make plans for the new year.
<h3>1. More people are getting involved as citizen scientists.</h3>
Citizen science – when everyday people work with trained scientists to collect data or study a problem – used to be seen as a hobby for wealthy dabblers.

Now, it allows involved citizens to get involved in the good things scientists are doing, helping them gather the massive amounts of vital, necessary data they need to do their jobs. In exchange, they get an inside look at science from the other side.

This year, citizen scientists helped <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/citizen-scientists-conserve-penguins/">NASA conserve penguins</a>, aided in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meadow-restoration-california/">study of Sierra Nevada meadows</a> and carbon storage, joined the Audubon Society to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/audubon-society-christmas-bird-count/">count birds around the world</a>, downloaded an app to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/quake-app-records-tremors/">measure earthquake activity</a> for the University of California, and more.

Want to join them? One group of trained scientists created a <a href="http://scistarter.com/blog/2016/11/projects-we-are-thankful-for/#sthash.l0GWvsae.dpbs">list of the citizen science projects</a> they’re most thankful for this past Thanksgiving.
<h3>2. Animals embark on comeback tours.</h3>
Every year brings new animals to the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/">Red List</a> of endangered species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and unfortunately, 2016 was no exception. But on the plus side, 2016 also showed that the Red List and other initiatives to save endangered animals work.

In September, the giant panda was <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/group-the-giant-panda-is-no-longer-endangered/">taken off of the endangered list</a> by the IUCN, though it is still vulnerable. Wildlife biologists gave credit to China’s anti-poaching efforts and work to maintain panda habitats.

More than <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/07/492976575/most-humpback-whales-taken-off-endangered-species-list">half of humpback whale populations</a> were also taken off the list. Other rebounding species include the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pacific-fisher-weasel-back/">Pacific fisher</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/08/11/these-adorable-foxes-once-nearly-extinct-have-made-a-record-breaking-comeback/">Channel Island foxes</a>, and the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/black-footed-ferrets-make-home-colorado/">black-footed ferret</a>. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/11/world-tiger-count-rises-for-first-time-in-100-years/">World tiger numbers</a> are up for the first time in a century. 
<h3>3. China took steps to shut down its ivory black market.</h3>
With African elephant numbers dwindling due to illegal poaching, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/china-ivory-trade-ban/">China made a bold move</a> at the end of the year. It announced that it would shut down its legal ivory industry in hopes of destroying China’s ivory black market. 

Despite government regulations on legal ivory, poachers have managed to slip illegally gotten elephant tusks into the Chinese market for years. Chinese citizens who work in the ivory industry will be shifted to other trades, China said.

China has taken other steps to do good things for wildlife this year. Along with several other countries, they began taking steps to crack down on the illegal trade of pangolins, too.
<h3>4. International partnerships formed to protect the world’s oceans.</h3>
In October, a number of countries – including the U.S., Russia, China and the European Union – signed a deal to turn Antarctica’s Ross Sea into the world’s largest marine reserve. About 16,000 species call the “Last Ocean” home. 

As the Ross Sea is so remote, it has been largely untouched by fishing and other industries. The nations that joined the agreement hope to keep it that way. The protections will go into effect on Dec. 1, 2017. 

In the same month, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Peru promised to increase their collaboration in protecting seven World Heritage Sites in the Eastern Tropical Pacific that include the <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1">Galapagos Islands</a>, <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1138">Coiba National Park</a>, <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/820">Cocos Island National Park</a>, and the <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1216">Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary</a>, among others. The sites face many similar challenges, such as illegal fishing and threats to vulnerable species like leatherback turtles. 
<h3>5. Renewable energy investments seem to be crushing fossil fuels.</h3>
In 2015, construction of renewable energy plants outstripped traditional fossil fuel plants for the first time, the <a href="https://www.iea.org/">International Energy Agency</a> announced in the spring of 2016. 

It’s a trend that appears to have continued, with global investments in wind and solar power nearly double the investments in fossil fuel plants in 2016. Falling prices for coal and oil triggered downsizing in those industries, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-06/wind-and-solar-are-crushing-fossil-fuels">Bloomberg reported</a>. 
<h3>6. The U.S. declared nine new national monuments.</h3>
Nine new national monuments were declared in 2016, including wild natural landscapes like <a href="https://www.nps.gov/kaww/index.htm">Katahdin Woods and Waters</a> in Maine, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/camo/index.htm">Castle Mountains</a> in California, and Gold Butte in Nevada. These newly protected areas can be visited by hikers, photographers, and nature lovers, and may someday be considered for national park sites.
<h3>7. Fish have more room to swim.</h3>
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation announced the launch of its <a href="http://www.hewlett.org/openriversfund/">Open Rivers Fund</a>. The fund, launched with a $50 million grant, will help communities around the U.S. safely dismantle obsolete dams and restore rivers and fish habitat. The first three projects will be the Matilija Dam in California, the Nelson Dam in Washington, and several dams and obstructions on the Rogue River in Oregon.

The fund’s inspiration was a series of studies that found dams in the West have altered 70 percent of the region’s rivers and nearly destroyed several fish populations. Dam removals on the Penobscot and Elwha rivers in the Pacific Northwest have been good things for fish populations in the region. 
<h3>8. Chernobyl becomes a home for wildlife.</h3>
An explosion of a nuclear reactor turned Chernobyl into a radioactive wasteland three decades ago. The disaster caused the humans living in nearby Pripyat, Ukraine to flee – and the wild reclaimed the region.

In 2016, the <a href="http://tree.ceh.ac.uk/">TREE Project</a> planted motion-sensitive cameras throughout the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and captured photos of boars, wild horses, wolves, bears, foxes, owls, and other animals living among the ruins of the town and in the wilds around it.

While the photos give little indication of how the radiation is affecting and changing the animals that live in the disaster zone, they did capture young as well as unbranded adult Przewalski’s horses. Since the horses released into the exclusion zone were branded, at least some of the offspring seem to be surviving, the scientists said.

Some of the scientists studying the area believe that as the wildlife take over, it will <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/060418-chernobyl-wildlife-thirty-year-anniversary-science/">return to the bogland</a> it was before humans carved out a niche – especially as the beavers begin gnawing down trees.

2016 in review: 8 good things that happened for the Earth

When you’re making your New Year’s Resolutions, it’s easy to...

Shifting regional weather patterns are changing flood risks across the U.S., according to a new study.

Engineers from the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> found that the threat of flooding has grown in the northern half of the country, while the southern half of the U.S., along with the West and Southwest regions, are seeing lower risk.

The researchers came to that conclusion after studying rivers of data from the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> and <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>.

Dr. Louise G. Slater and Dr. Gabriele Villarini waded through water-height data collected by the USGS between 1985 and 2015, which came from a little more than 2,000 stream gauges operated by the agency. That information was compared to even more data from NASA’s <a href="http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/">Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment</a>, also known as GRACE, which showed the amount of water stored in the ground.

“We show that these patterns are dependent on the overall wetness and potential water storage, with fundamental implications for water resources management, agriculture, insurance, navigation, ecology, and populations living in flood-affected areas,” Slater and Villarini <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/2016GL071199/abstract">wrote in their study</a>. 

The pair found that the amount of groundwater in the northern U.S. has increased over time. That means the region is at increased risk of both minor and moderate flooding, according to the categories used by the <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a>, the researchers said.

In contrast, the South, West, and Southwest have all shown decreased levels of stored water over time, pointing to a lower threat of flooding, they said.

The findings in the Southwest and West are not surprising, because both regions have been gripped by years-long patterns of drought, Slater and Villarini pointed out. The southeastern U.S. has also suffered from drought in recent months.

The changing flood risks in the northern half of the country can also be explained by long-term shifts in rainfall patterns, the researchers said. The Midwest has seen heavy rain more frequently over the past few decades, Villarini and graduate research assistant Iman Mallakpour found in a <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v5/n3/abs/nclimate2516.html">2015 study</a> of floods in that region.

The cause of the rainfall shifts in the U.S. aren’t clear, the researchers said. It could be that regional climate change is redistributing rain, they said.

Villarini and Slater hope that their research – especially their decision to cast threats in terms of how they affect people and places, and to use the everyday language of the National Weather Service – will help citizens better understand why flooding happens and their changing flood risks.

“Our findings may assist in a better communication of changing flood patterns to a wider audience compared with the more traditional approach of stating trends in terms of discharge magnitudes and frequencies,” the pair wrote.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-8007/">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

New weather patterns are changing flood risks in the United States

Shifting regional weather patterns are changing flood risks across the...

Some early birds are taking the warmer climate as a sign it’s time to migrate, and they’re missing out on food because of it, a new study has found.

Biologists and bird experts from the <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> have been checking the travel itineraries of hundreds of migrating bird species across five continents. After hearing reports in the birding world of earlier migrations, they began collecting and analyzing data to determine if and how migration patterns are changing. 

“On average, avian spring migration times have advanced over time and as spring has become warmer,” <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.12612/abstract">the study found</a>.

As the average surface temperature of the planet rises, the birds begin migrating earlier, the researchers discovered. When the mean temperature in a region rises one degree, the birds arrive at their summer breeding grounds a day earlier on average.

However, the feeding conditions at the birds’ summer homes are not changing along with their flight schedules. Even arriving just a couple of days early can mean that birds miss out on the best nesting spots – because they’re not yet available – and the prime wild buffets.

On the flip side, birds that migrate much longer distances are less affected by the temperature changes, the researchers found. That means they now arrive behind everyone else – and get crowded out of nesting locations and breeding sites.

That now-late arrival can cut their hatchlings’ chances of survival, as resources are depleted.

Another finding: larger-bodied birds travel earlier than their smaller-bodied cousins. Those early birds may already be large and in charge by the time smaller ones reach the best summer breeding and nesting sites.

While some of the migration changes may be natural fluctuations, the scientists studied data over several years to get a better picture of long-term patterns. They also looked at changes in the birds’ diets and the habitat of their winter roosting locations, but found no changes that corresponded to the earlier migration starts.

The study was published in <a href="http://www.journalofanimalecology.org/">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>. It was supported by the <a href="http://www.nerc.ac.uk/">Natural Environment Research Council</a>.

Early birds don't get the worm: warmer weather has birds migrating too soon

Some early birds are taking the warmer climate as a...

Democratic attorneys general in 15 states, plus four cities and counties, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday asking him not to repeal President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was the lead author of the letter.

The letter comes two weeks after mostly Republican officials in 24 states asked Trump to repeal the plan, which the Obama administration has hailed as one of the president's key efforts to combat climate change. They also asked for legislation that could undo the Clean Air Act.

The Clean Power Plan aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants by 32 percent by 2030. It sets a national limit on carbon dioxide pollution from power plants, and encourages increased construction of clean energy plants such as wind and solar farms.

Under the plan, states are free to reduce carbon emissions however they see fit, but must submit a plan to the EPA by September 2018, or risk the EPA creating its own plan for that state.

The plan was first proposed by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> in June 2014, and was finalized by the president on August 3, 2015.

Opponents of the Clean Power Plan argue that the EPA does not have the authority to implement the new rules. The plan is already the subject of a legal battle.

However, the letter from Democratic officials warns that if Trump repeals the plan, it could result in numerous additional lawsuits.

The letter reads, “Our states and local governments are on the front lines of climatic change. We see firsthand the significant human and economic costs inflicted by unchecked carbon pollution. … Therefore, we urge you to continue the federal government’s defense of the Clean Power Plan, a well-considered and critical rule that reasonably limits emissions from fossil-fueled power plants, our nation’s largest source of carbon pollution.”

The White House has said that the Clean Power Plan will prevent up to 3,600 premature deaths, 17,000 non-fatal heart attacks, 90,000 asthma attacks in children, and 300,000 missed workdays and schooldays.

Democratic, Republican officials face off over Clean Power Plan

Democratic attorneys general in 15 states, plus four cities and...

The key to nourishing a system of sustainable resource management could be social cooperation, a new study has found.

Scientists at the <a href="https://umaine.edu/">University of Maine</a> looked at various tools for creating and encouraging a culture of sustainability among communities. Their goal, they said, was to develop a theory of what works when it comes to encouraging social groups to adopt better conservation and eco-friendly practices, and what doesn’t.

What they found was that spreading sustainability goals out over smaller units of people works better than everyone working as one large group to achieve them.

“Usually, we assume that everyone has to cooperate to save environmental resources but what we found was that sustainable resource use was more likely to emerge when societies were broken up into multiple groups, like states in the United States, or countries in Europe,” said <a href="http://umaine.edu/mitchellcenter/news/news-2/cooperation-dynamics-key-to-sustaining-natural-resources/">Dr. Timothy Waring</a>. Waring is the study’s lead author and an associate professor of economics at the university’s Center for Sustainability Solutions.

Waring and his colleagues believe that small groups are more willing to test and discard strategies until they find one that works. Small groups can learn from each other and improve on each other’s ideas, they said. 

Waring offered the example of climate change agreements. At the Rio Earth Summit of 1992, the United Nations took a top-down approach to instituting climate goals, he said. That’s what led the summit to fail, he believed.

Last year’s Paris Agreement is already beginning to show results, and Waring believes that’s because it took a more grassroots, country-by-country approach that relied on social cooperation.

“Cooperation is easier in small groups, easier with familiar people, and with similar people. And, cooperation is more durable when it is supported by social and institutional factors as well,” he said.

He and his co-authors, Dr. Sandra Goff of <a href="http://www.skidmore.edu/">Skidmore College</a> and Dr. Paul Smaldino of the <a href="http://www.ucmerced.edu/">University of California</a>, Merced, developed a model to study the effectiveness of sustainability strategies as developed by several small groups versus one large group.

They found that three factors seem to influence how successful a resource management project will be in terms of social cooperation: the impact of the resource dilemma on the group, how the group learns from failure, and what it is able to learn from other groups.

For example, a number of Portland restaurants wanted to buy food ingredients locally, but found it difficult to do so alone. When they formed small buying clubs, they were able to support local farmers and food producers, Waring said.

Waring is now looking at real-world examples of small group sustainability in Maine. He and his colleagues are looking at how politics, sustainability, and social factors have affected lobsters and blueberries.

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-economics/">Ecological Economics</a>.

Social cooperation could be the key to a healthier environment, study finds

The key to nourishing a system of sustainable resource management...

The last minute of 2016 will be 61 seconds long, not 60. The <a href="https://www.iers.org/">International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service</a> (IERS) is adding a leap second to 2016 to counter the Earth’s slowing rotation, scientists said.

In the United States, the second will be added after 6:59:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 3:59:59 p.m. Pacific. 

That’s based on <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/time/aboututc.html">Coordinated Universal Time</a>, which will add the second after 23:59:59 (or 11:59:59 p.m.) in Greenwich, England, which is located at approximately 0 degrees longitude. UTC was once known as Greenwich Mean Time. The U.S. adjusts that to the equivalent time zone.

Countries falling within the time zone that surrounds the 0-degree longitudinal line, including the UK, Iceland, Ireland, and several West African nations, will add the second just before midnight as well, according to the UK’s <a href="http://www.npl.co.uk/">National Physical Laboratory</a>.

“This extra second, or leap second, makes it possible to align astronomical time, which is irregular and determined by Earth’s rotation,” the <a href="https://www.obspm.fr/?lang=en">Paris Observatory</a> said in a statement. The observatory is the home of the IERS, which sets the world’s time.

This year marks the 27th time a leap second has been added to the clock since 1972. The extra second is sometimes needed because of unpredictable changes in the speed at which the Earth turns on its axis.

About 50 years ago, scientists stopped basing the length of a year on astronomy. Instead, they based the length of a second on the vibration of a cesium atom. 

The problem is that the Earth’s rotation slows by about two milliseconds each year. That requires a leap second to be added about every 500 days so that the world’s atomic clocks still match up with the Earth’s rotation.

The slowing of the Earth's rotation is caused by the Moon's pull and ocean tides, according to the <a href="http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO">U.S. Naval Observatory</a>.

So what does that mean to everyday people?

Leap seconds can occasionally throw a wrench in the workings of computer networks. The extra second has to be programmed in, which means some networks will show the 6:59:59 twice, some will show 6:59:60, and some may need manual adjustments.

In 2012, some computer networks saw problems arose when the time change caused confusion and hyperactivity on certain servers. Companies such as <a href="https://www.reddit.com/">Reddit</a>, <a href="https://www.yelp.com/">Yelp</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> reported crashes.

Google, on the other hand, created a system of “smeared time” to handle the extra second. Instead of confusing its servers and computers, <a href="https://developers.google.com/time/">Google's Network Time Protocol</a> runs its clocks 0.0014 percent slower for 10 hours before and 10 hours after the leap second, “smearing” the extra second across 20 hours.

However, aside from the possibility of brief computing problems, most people won’t notice the extra second – unless you’re one of those desperate for 2016 to end, of course.

Ready for 2016 to be over? Wait just a leap second

The last minute of 2016 will be 61 seconds long,...

Shrinking polar ice is a growing problem on planet Earth. 

In 2016, polar ice loss hit record levels, and that’s not a good thing, scientists said. Combined, the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets have lost about 1.48 million square miles, about the size of India, according to scientists from the <a href="https://nsidc.org/">National Snow &amp; Ice Data Center</a>. That’s compared to levels from 1981 to 2010 for this time of year.

In November and December of this year, both Arctic and Antarctic ice were at record lows, the scientists said.

And 2016 has brought a new blip: Antarctica has lost ice. 

The glaciers that make up the West Antarctic have been in retreat since at least the 1940s, scientists said, pointing to evidence mined from satellite imagery and observations by scientists with the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>.

But for years, the ice in the eastern regions of the South Pole continent has expanded, bolstering arguments by climate change skeptics. 

This year, however, ice is lower than average on both sides of the continent, the NSIDC reported. Several large areas of open water have been discovered in the ice sheet on the eastern Weddell Sea, as well as in western Antarctic waters.

Scientists also found that glaciers in the west were continuing to melt at a record pace.

As the Southern Hemisphere entered summer, Antarctic ice began melting and glaciers began retreating in the end of August, much earlier than usual, according to the NSIDC.

In the Antarctic, where there is a land mass below the ice, the focus is on glaciers. In the Arctic, it’s on sea ice. 

In 2016, seven out of the 12 months saw record lows for average amount of sea ice in the Arctic, according to scientists. 

Some climate scientists have connected the loss of sea ice in the Northern Hemisphere to an <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/polar-vortex-linked-loss-arctic-sea-ice/">unstable polar vortex</a>. That instability has brought harsh blasts of frigid air to North America already this year, though the vortex is usually not active until January. 

Climate scientists have pointed to a number of possible explanations for 2016’s shrinking polar ice.

One theory, of course, is climate change. <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/">A majority of climate scientists</a> believe carbon emissions – such as from greenhouse gases created by human activity – have led to average warmer temperatures worldwide. 

As we enter a new year, 2016 is on track to be the hottest year ever recorded, according to the <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>.

Other influences on the Earth’s shrinking polar ice may have included the El Niño cycle that warmed Pacific Ocean temperatures, as well as some freak natural phenomena like unusual global wind patterns, scientists said.

The shrinking polar ice has had a few positive effects. Researchers have developed new technology to track ice loss, and they have used the data to create new models to predict future climate change. Additionally everyday citizens are more aware of the trends, scientists said.

Shrinking polar ice caught world's attention in 2016

Shrinking polar ice is a growing problem on planet Earth....

Don’t worry, 2016 hasn’t been all bad. As all of the celebrity deaths, dirty politics, and creepy clowns stole our attention, researchers were working quietly behind the scenes, studying our planet. And it paid off – they’ve discovered 133 new species of plants and animals this year. 

The new species were discovered on five continents and in three oceans, and range from blood-sucking ants, to a new bird virus, to the most beautiful fish one scientist had ever seen. 

“Biodiversity scientists estimate that we have discovered less than 10 percent of the species on our planet,” Dr. Shannon Bennett said in a press release from the <a href="https://www.calacademy.org/">California Academy of Sciences</a>.

The Academy publicized the 133 finds, which were discovered by Academy-associated scientists. Bennett is the Academy’s chief of science.

“Each of these species – known and as-yet-unknown – is a wonder unto itself, but may also hold the key to ground-breaking innovations in science, technology, or society,” Bennett said of the discoveries. “Species live together in rich networks that thrive on complexity whether we can see it or not.”

Among the finds: 

Dracula ants

A stunning 43 new species of ants were discovered this year, including several species of creepy, crawly “Dracula ants,” or Stigmatomma. Many of the new ant species, including Stigmatomma, were discovered in Madagascar.

Dracula ants build tiny colonies underground, where they feed off of their own larvae. They wound the young ants to drink their hemolymph – a blood-like substance in larval insects. They live most of their lives underground or in rotten eggs, and also prey on centipedes and beetles.

Thorny grandfather

Another new species of insect spotted in Madagascar is Thevenetimyia spinosavus, which means “thorny grandfather.” The insect looks like a bee, but it isn’t. It’s a bee fly, which are known for imitating other insects such as bees (like their name indicates), wasps, and even spiders.

What makes this particular bee fly unique, however, is that it is long, slender, and covered in grey bristles. It also has spikes on its thorax. The other bee flies in Madagascar are shorter and chubbier, and the new discovered doesn’t seem to be closely related genetically. In fact, it’s more similar to bee flies in northern Africa, showing the species likely has a wide range.

Bee flies, including the new discovery, do pollinate plants like their true bee doppelgangers. However, their larvae are fierce, and often attack and eat the larvae of other species.

A ‘twilight zone’ fish

The Grammatonotus brianne is the deepest new fish discovery made by human hands, according to the Academy. It’s a stunning pink and yellow species of groppo discovered by deep-diving scientists in a “twilight zone” reef off the coast of the Philippines.

“This groppo is the most beautiful fish I’ve ever seen,” said Dr. Luiz Rocha, who spotted the new species along with <a href="http://www.bishopmuseum.org/">Bishop Museum</a> research associate Brian Greene. The groppo shows how little humans know about the ocean’s deep reefs, he said.

It was one of 24 new fish species described in 2016.

A frightening new avian virus

Bird flu may be what worries humans, but the newly discovered Poecivirus may cause a lot more trouble for birds. The virus has been linked to a disease that has harmed birds and stumped scientists for years – it may even be the cause, or one of them. 

Scientists have studied Avian Keratin Disorder for more than a decade, but learned little about the disease. It causes birds’ beaks to grow out of control, making it difficult for them to eat or preen their feathers. All birds, but especially water birds, use preening to spread waterproof oils on their feathers, which keep the birds warm and dry. Birds with overgrown, deformed beaks from AKD often suffer from cold and hunger, eventually dying.

The new virus was discovered among DNA fragments from bird populations in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. It appears to be from the picornavirus family, which also includes human illnesses like polio and the common cold. The researchers will need to continue studying the disease to determine if it is the cause of AKD. 

Other new discoveries include a species of armored lizard with unique defensive habits from Angola, a new species of coral off the coast of California, seven brightly colored new sea slug species, a new pink flower in Mexico, and 36 new types of ground beetles – most of them from a single national park in Madagascar. Scientists also discovered fossil remains of previously unknown ancient sea urchin and sand dollar species.

California Academy of Sciences reveals 133 new species discovered in 2016

Don’t worry, 2016 hasn’t been all bad. As all of...

The Obama administration has ruffled some feathers with five potential plans that would limit mining projects on federal land to protect the greater sage grouse. 

Greater sage grouse numbers have been in decline in recent years as they lose habitat to development and industrial projects such as mining. Between 200,000 and 500,000 are left in the western U.S. 

The sage grouse is important because rises and falls in its numbers can be a bellwether for the health of sagebrush ecosystems in the West. Much like the canaries once used by miners, when the birds begin dying, other animals tend to follow.

None of the options restrict currently approved mining and energy exploration projects, though future oil and gas drilling projects would need to use directional drilling from a distance to avoid disturbing the grouse.

It would be up to the incoming Trump administration which of the plans – if any – to put into place.

But the plans have drawn skeptics. 

“Federal land grabs are never popular in Nevada and the latest one by the BLM is no different,” Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada <a href="http://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=pressreleases&amp;id=E691B1AB-F2AF-4C45-A7DE-82CC2C2322C2">said in a statement</a>. “A mining ban does little to help sage-grouse and will devastate northern Nevada’s future economic competitiveness.”

He would work with the Trump administration to focus sage grouse protection efforts on preventing wildfires, not private mining projects on federally owned lands, he said.

The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/">Bureau of Land Management</a> has teamed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and ranchers across the western states in the <a href="http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/">Sage Grouse Initiative</a>. The project partners private landowners with public lands managers to protect and maintain sage grouse habitat. Efforts include removing invasive plant species from sage land, restoring wet meadows, and wildfire prevention. 

On the other side of the aisle is Randi Spivak, the public lands program director for the <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. She called on incoming Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, a Montana politician who calls Teddy Roosevelt his inspiration to follow in Roosevelt’s footsteps and conserve sage grouse habitat on public lands.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Spivak14/status/814521001551790080">On Twitter</a>, Spivak thanked President Obama and his administration for moving to designate nearly 2 million acres of public lands as national monuments. The Center for Biological Diversity has also launched a “resistance movement” called Earth2Trump to fight what they view as attacks on the environment and civil rights by the President-elect. 

The administration’s proposed plans are part of a promise it made in September 2015. At that time, it chose not to list the prairie bird for protection under the Endangered Species Act. The administration, along with the BLM, <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a>, and <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">U.S. Forest Service</a>, believed that the sage grouse could be protected without being placed on the endangered list. 

Protection under the Endangered Species Act would have strictly limited mining, agriculture, drilling, and other activity in sage grouse habitat on both public and privately owned lands.

The greater sage grouse is listed as “near threatened” by the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22679503/0">Red List</a>, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature to monitor which species are in danger of going extinct. “Near threatened” is the first step away from “least concern.” 

The plans proposed by the Obama administration are <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/70697/94514/114120/SFA_DEIS_Main_Text_508.pdf">available to review as a PDF</a> from the Bureau of Land Management.

Feds: mining limits on public lands could protect greater sage grouse

The Obama administration has ruffled some feathers with five potential...

For centuries, doctors have recommended the healing powers of the ocean to treat various mental and physical ailments. From soothing skin to easing arthritis and improving circulation, the health benefits of seawater are extensive.

Thalassotherapy is the term for using seawater and shore climate for medical treatment. This type of therapy is believed to be practiced as far back as ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt.

Dr. Richard Russell, a prominent doctor who practiced in the mid-1700’s, introduced the idea of seawater as a remedy for “diseases of the glands.”

In 1897, French doctor Rene Quinton discovered that our blood plasma and seawater are 98 percent identical. By simply being immersed in ocean water, minerals the body needs can be absorbed through the skin. Sinuses may be cleared out by flushing the nasal cavity with saltwater. Symptoms of other respiratory issues may be reduced with saltwater exposure as well.

The director of clinical services at the medical charity <a href="http://www.allergyuk.org/">Allergy UK</a> claims people who live by, and swim in, the sea tend to have healthier respiratory systems.

Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are often significantly improved by the salty water of the ocean and Thalassotherapy. This may be due to the presence of magnesium, which can improve skin’s moisture retention.

The ocean contains high amounts of other potentially healing minerals as well, including sodium chloride and calcium. Iodine is also found in the sea, which helps the body fight infection and boosts thyroid function.

Salt water is considered an antiseptic, and has properties that can heal scrapes, cuts, and skin irritations. Seaweed, which is rich in over 70 vitamins and minerals, nourishes the skin and stimulates cell function.

Ocean water is also believed to relieve stress. Swimming in a natural environment like the ocean is relaxing and soothing.

The weightlessness of water can have a calming and meditative effect on the mind. Water therapy and swimming have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety.

In his 2014 book Blue Mind, marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols brought together evidence for why people find themselves in a meditative and relaxed state when they are in, on or under, water. One reason Thalassotherapy works, Nichols explains, is the breathing patterns used during swimming and diving.

Cold water exposure alone has been linked to improved organ function and the release of hormones such as endorphins, adrenalin, and cortisol by activating skin receptors. Swimming in cold water burns more calories in an effort to preserve body temperature, and is also linked to the release of dopamine and serotonin.

With all of the therapeutic properties and potential healing benefits of the ocean, it is no surprise that seaside spas and wellness centers are thriving.

--

Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Thalassotherapy: Using the ocean to heal the body and mind

For centuries, doctors have recommended the healing powers of the...

The costs of implementing forest biomass processing plants in rural communities are too high, according to a new study. Economists at <a href="http://www.oregonstate.edu">Oregon State University</a> conducted the study to determine if biomass operations in remote areas are feasible.

The team from the University’s College of Forestry projected the cost of operations including collecting, transporting, and processing forest biomass at 65 existing plants in western Oregon. The analysis, published in the journal Forest Policy and Economics, determined it is unlikely the remote operations will happen any time soon.

Biomass includes excess tree branches and plant material left behind by timber harvesting operations. The biomass can be processed to create fuel.

In studying the economics of forest biomass operation in the potential western Oregon locations, scientists concluded operation and transportation costs are too high, while the market value of biofuel is too low for successful implementation.

Support for the research came from the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance led by Washington State, and was funded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While biomass operation could greatly boost the economy of rural areas, the researchers concluded it will not currently be sustainable without government support and grants.

Lead researcher Mindy Crandall is now an assistant professor at the University of Maine. "There's a lot of interest in focusing on the use of biomass to meet multiple objectives, one of which is support for rural communities," Crandall said in a news release.

"We thought this might provide some support for that idea," Crandall stated. "But from a strictly market feasibility perspective, it isn't all that likely that these facilities will be located in remote, struggling rural communities without targeted subsidies or support."

New markets such as aviation fuel may place a higher demand on forest harvest residues. The first flight using biomass aviation fuel was flown by Alaska Airlines last month from Seattle to Washington D.C., according to OSU professor of forestry John Sessions.

Researchers also anticipate technology will improve the efficiency of biomass systems, leaving the possibility for rural biomass operations in the future.

---

Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Forest biomass processing plants are too expensive for most communities

The costs of implementing forest biomass processing plants in rural...

When an invasive species enters a new ecosystem, all native species must stay weary. Invasive species rapidly reproduce, which changes the dynamic of the entire ecosystem. The new species can directly threaten native species’ way of life by: predation, competing for the same food, preventing natives from reproducing and bringing diseases. In addition, the invasive species can also effect the natives indirectly by fighting for their acoustic space.

Animals have a limited amount of acoustic space that they have to share with other species within their ecosystem. When an invasive species enters the ecosystem they create overlapping sounds when they send mating signals and signals to defend their territory. These invasive sounds block natives from vocally communicating.

According to previous studies, native species have changed their vocals when outside noise, such as traffic or construction, increased. However, researchers question if this same vocal adjustment is made when an invasive species enters the ecosystem.

Jennifer Tennessen et al. from <a href="http://www.vassar.edu">Vassar College </a>tested this theory by conducting a study on an invasive Cuban tree frog, Ostenpilus septentrionalis. She studied the effect that the invasive tree frog’s vocal calls had on the native tree frog calls.

The researchers predicted that tree frogs with similar acoustic sounds, measured by structure and frequency, to the invasive tree frogs would modify their sounds but tree frogs with different calls would not adjust their sounds. To test this theory, they studied a native species that had similar calls, green tree frogs, Hyla cinerea, and a native species that had different calls, pine woods tree frogs, Hyla femoralis.

They concluded that the green tree frogs modified their sounds but the pine woods tree frogs did not. The green tree frogs would shorten their vocal calls and increase the loudness more often when the invasive Cuban tree frog was around.

This study helps prove that when an invasive species enters an ecosystem, some native species adjust their vocal calls to adhere to a new species’ vocal calls entering the limited acoustic space. Adjusting their calls lowers overlapping sounds in the acoustic space and strengthens their vocal signals.

These adjustments can have negative effects on mating success for native species due to their call duration. Future studies need to be conducted to examine the effects of modified calls from invasive species competition for acoustic space.

---

Credit: Earth.com author Hannah Parker

Invasive species compete for acoustic space with the natives

When an invasive species enters a new ecosystem, all native...

<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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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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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