Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The ocean’s surface might look clean in some places, but far beneath the waves, a different story is unfolding. 



In the southeastern Mediterranean, the deep seafloor is turning into a massive storage ground for plastic packaging, especially bags. A new study shows how this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-retailers-are-replacing-plastic-bags-with-eco-friendly-paper-bags/">waste</a> ends up thousands of feet below the surface, and the answer isn’t as simple as trash just “sinking.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-in-the-deep-sea">Plastic in the deep sea</h2>



Plastic debris has entered every corner of the ocean, but previously, most of the research has concentrated on floating plastic or beach trash. That changed with this latest study, which took a closer look at what is occurring on the ocean floor. 



Scientists discovered that the Levant Basin - a deep section of the eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/two-continents-meet-along-the-mediterranean-coastline/">Mediterranean</a> off the coasts of Israel, Egypt, and Turkey - is among the world's most contaminated deep-sea areas.



“We used trawls to survey the seafloor and we mainly found plastic bags and packaging that dominate the debris,” said Xing-Yu Li from the <a href="https://www.haifa.ac.il/?lang=en">University of Haifa</a>, the study’s lead author.



This raised a question: how does something so light - something meant to float - end up nearly a mile underwater?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-forensic-approach-to-trash">A forensic approach to trash</h2>



To answer that, the team decided to treat each plastic item like a crime scene. Every piece of debris was carefully examined using a method called multi-marker analysis. 



This approach looks at everything about the plastic - size, shape, color, material, surface features, and even what kinds of things are stuck to it, like tar or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-organisms-may-adapt-to-climate-change-but-with-hidden-costs/">marine organisms</a>.



“In the multi-marker approach anything that is found on a piece of plastic is an evidence,” said Xing-yu. “We extracted as many evidence as possible from every piece of waste, more than many previous studies, to build a fuller, more detailed view of the bottom waste.”



Instead of just counting how much trash was found, this method helped researchers understand how it got there, why it sank, and where it might have come from.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-some-plastic-doesn-t-sink">Why some plastic doesn’t sink</h2>



Most of the plastics found were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-kitchen-tool-that-could-be-leaching-toxins-into-your-food-polypropylene-cutting-board/">polyethylene</a> - the same material used in grocery bags. Normally, this kind of plastic floats. But when additives like calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) are mixed in during manufacturing, the plastic becomes heavier. 



Those with CaCO₃ sank closer to the shore. Others, without these additives, drifted farther out before eventually settling on the seafloor.



The study also revealed that the deep basin at over 3,000 feet deep acts like a trap. Pressure and fine sediments help keep the plastic down. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biofilms-could-change-the-way-we-track-plastic-pollution/">Biofilms</a>, which are slimy layers formed by microbes, usually help weigh plastics down too, but they don’t grow well in this part of the sea. Instead, things like tar, sand, and tiny shells helped plastics stay put.



The scientists noted that these plastic films - while thin and lightweight - are ending up where they can do the most long-term damage. 



Even more troubling, the team found that some of this plastic could become buoyant again if disturbed, but because of how the deep sea works, that rarely happens. Once the plastic settles, it stays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-trash-is-coming-from">Where the trash is coming from</h2>



The plastic pollution isn’t only from local beaches. According to the research, land-based sources from Egypt, Israel, and Turkey are a big part of the problem. 



Shipping also plays a role, especially in deeper waters. Surprisingly, fishing was not a major contributor - possibly due to strict Israeli regulations.



For years, scientists noticed high levels of plastic at the seafloor, but they didn’t fully understand why. 



“For years in our monitoring reports we have reported a high concentration of plastic debris in this area. It was an unsolved mystery as we know that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-floor-harbors-up-to-11-million-tons-of-plastic-debris/">plastic debris</a> should remain floating on the sea surface. Now we have a deep understanding of how it happens,” said Dr. Yael Segal from Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR). 



“The Eastern Mediterranean is the most polluted area in the world, and we must take action for the sake of the next generation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-risks-to-marine-life">Long-term risks to marine life</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grapevines-could-offer-a-breakthrough-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/">Plastic packaging</a> is cheap, easy to produce, and used globally - but it doesn’t go away. It breaks into smaller pieces and can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. 



Deep-sea habitats are already fragile, and adding plastic into the mix could disrupt food webs, introduce toxins, and harm species that haven’t even been fully studied yet.



“As the head of the national monitoring program, I see firsthand how plastic pollution is impacting the entire sea environment: beaches, water, sea bottom, and even local turtle populations,” said Dr. Segal.



Professor Revital Bookman said that the discovery is fascinating in the worst possible way. 



"The eastern Mediterranean is quietly turning into a deep-sea landfill. Plastics that we use for only a few minutes are ending up trapped for centuries, threatening deep marine ecosystems we barely understand," noted Professor Bookman. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-needs-to-happen-next">What needs to happen next</h2>



According to the researchers, this study changes how we should think about ocean pollution. Plastic doesn’t just float around until it hits a beach. It travels far, interacts with other pollutants like tar, and ends up in hidden places. 



“This previously overlooked dynamic necessitates a broader perspective on pollution processes in marine environments,” said Professor Bookman. 



“Without systematic deep-sea accounting, we risk underestimating the true environmental footprint of plastic pollution and misallocating mitigation efforts by neglecting offshore and deep-sea sinks.”



To deal with this, the experts call for coordinated efforts across the region. Countries that share the sea need to work together on monitoring, cleanup, and prevention. 



Without a shared strategy, plastics will continue piling up, silently choking one of the planet’s most mysterious ecosystems.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X25009671?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a>.



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Hidden plastic graveyard uncovered in the deep Mediterranean Sea

Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The ocean’s surface might look clean in some places, but far beneath the waves, a different story is unfolding. In the southeastern Mediterranean, the deep seafloor is turning into a massive storage ground for plastic packaging, especially bags. A new study shows how this waste ends up thousands of feet below the surface, and the answer isn’t as simple as trash just “sinking.” Plastic in the deep sea Plastic debris has entered every corner of the ocean, but...

It’s Christmas time – and Hanukkah, too. The festivities include time with family, delicious treats, and brightly wrapped gifts. 

The paper on those brightly wrapped gifts offers a pretty picture, and the act of tearing into a present, not sure what’s inside, all the more fun for young and old.

But what does all that paper mean for the environment?

In the United States alone, 25 percent more trash is thrown away during the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day than the rest of the year combined, according to the <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/region9/waste/recycling/index.html">Environmental Protection Agency</a>. 

Much of that garbage begins its life as festive gift wrap. Each year, four million tons of trees are turned into gift wrap and holiday-themed shopping bags, only to be dropped into landfills, the <a href="http://cleanair.org/">Clean Air Council</a> said.

“Wrapping paper stays on presents for an average of five days. The presents are opened and tons of paper, ribbons and boxes are thrown away,” said Genevieve Adamski in <a href="http://thepointeruwsp.com/2016/12/13/trimming-the-holiday-wasteline/">The Pointer</a>, the student-run newspaper of the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Sometimes the gift wrap doesn’t even make it to the gift recipient. Almost half of Americans said they would rewrap a gift if it didn’t look the way they wanted, according to information gathered by the website <a href="https://www.creditdonkey.com/gift-wrap.html">CreditDonkey</a>.

It’s not just the U.S., either.

In the United Kingdom, the gift wrap thrown away each year could be laid end to end and wrap the equator nine times, said Lucy Siegle in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/dec/19/not-easy-being-green-wrapping-paper">The Observer</a>.

The city of Barrie, Ontario in Canada reports that the average Canadian family’s waste increases up to 45 percent during the holidays, much of it wrapping paper from brightly wrapped gifts and supplies needed to create those beautiful, brightly wrapped gifts.

Don’t let statistics put the bah humbug in your holiday spirit, though. Like most industries, some paper is better than others. Taking a few steps can make your Christmas a little greener, to go with merry and bright.

Many types of holiday wrapping and greeting cards can be recycled. However, metallic, glittered and laminated paper can’t be recycled in many locations. Unless you plan to reuse them, those types of gift wraps are probably on the “avoid” list.

Some gift wraps that are heavily dyed are also difficult to recycle, so look for wrapping that is decorative without being overdone.

“If you don't go wrap-free, buy unbleached paper, as high quality and free of glitter penguins as you can. Encourage careful opening and reuse,” Siegle said. 

Gift bags are a good option because they’re often reused several times, she added. 

Some gift wraps contain seeds. While those are a great gift for anyone who loves flowers, make sure they know that the paper belongs in their yard or garden, not the garbage.

If you have the time and inclination, you can use stamps, stencils, and paint to turn brown paper grocery bags into unique, recycled, and recyclable gift wrap.

Whatever you do, don’t burn the wrapping paper you can’t recycle or reuse. 

“Decorative wrapping paper ... can contain lead, synthetic inks, plastic film, chlorine or metal-based foils, which release toxic and carcinogenic compounds into the air when burned,” Eviana Hartman wrote in the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/20/AR2008112003358.html">Washington Post</a>.

Leftover wrapping paper, holiday cards, and other paper products can be turned into do-it-yourself projects instead, from lining drawers, boxes, and bookshelves to wrapping textbooks to origami paper to creating decor for next year’s Christmas season. 

The EPA also suggests saving ribbons and bows to be reused instead of throwing them away.

A few other ways to cut down on waste this holiday season:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Bring your own bags when holiday shopping, or put smaller purchases into bags with larger items instead of requesting a new bag.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Purchase rechargeable batteries and chargers to go with any battery-operated toys or games.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Be sure to recycle the batteries in any greeting cards that play music.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Recycle the cards, too. Card fronts decorated with glitter or foil can be cut off and used in art projects, or donated to preschools or elementary schools for next year.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Choose “experiences” as gifts for people who will appreciate them – concert or sports tickets, museum or zoo memberships, spa gift cards, or day trips.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Buy a living Christmas tree that can be planted when the season is over. If you buy a cut tree, be sure to recycle it. </li>
</ul>

Brightly wrapped gifts aren't always environmentally friendly

It’s Christmas time – and Hanukkah, too. The festivities include...

Methane levels in Earth’s atmosphere have risen drastically in the past two years, causing concern amongst climate change experts. 

While carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions typically get the bulk of the attention, methane (CH4) is actually a more potent greenhouse gas. Over the course of a century, methane is 30 times better than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. 

Scientists warn the progress made in reducing CO2 emissions could be negated by rising methane levels. 

"CO2 is still the dominant target for mitigation, for good reason. But we run the risk if we lose sight of methane of offsetting the gains we might make in bringing down levels of carbon dioxide,” Professor Robert Jackson of <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> said.

Jackson recently wrote an editorial in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a> urging the scientific community to act on the lack of knowledge regarding methane. Even experts in the field remain unsure of the exact cause of the recent spike in CH4 levels. 

Methane concentration in the atmosphere remained fairly level from 2000 to 2006, began to uptick in 2007, and then jumped by 10 or more parts per billion in 2014 and 2015. 


Agriculture appears to be one clear cause, as the biological functions of cattle release large amounts of methane into the air. But naturally occurring chemical reactions that remove methane from the air play a significant role in the balancing act and require further study.

Jackson is hopeful that the scientific community can soon make great strides in that area, in large part due to new satellites that can target specific carbon and methane molecules in the air. 


"I'm optimistic that the scientific community and the policymakers will be able to have better information,” Jackson said. “I'm optimistic because there are new satellites coming along that will give us the power to see methane concentrations all over the world on a regular basis. Methane is more difficult to study than CO2 because it's more diffuse, but I think we’re poised to make really good progress over the next few years."

Methane levels in Earth's atmosphere spike, alarming scientists

Methane levels in Earth’s atmosphere have risen drastically in the...

According to a new study by <a href="http://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a>, American evangelicals are more likely to believe in climate change than evolution. The study found that 20 percent of those surveyed said that they were skeptical that climate change is occurring or that humans have any role in climate change. But 45 percent of those surveyed said that natural evolution is probably or definitely a false concept.

The study also found that religion is more closely tied to evolution skepticism than it is to climate change skepticism. Around 70 percent of those who identify as evangelicals said that evolution is most likely false, but only 28 percent of that population said that climate change is not occurring or that humans have no role in climate change. 

The study, titled "Examining Links Between Religion, Evolution Views and Climate-Change Skepticism,” was published in the latest edition of <a href="http://eab.sagepub.com/">Environment and Behavior</a>. It focused on the larger “anti-science” mentality as it relates to membership in conservative religious groups.

A team of researchers, led by Rice sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund, studied the link between evolution skepticism and climate-change skepticism with regard to religious affiliation. The team surveyed 9,636 people in the U.S. population which, according to Ecklund, is up to 40 percent evangelical, depending on how “evangelical” is defined.

Said Ecklund, "This is different from the popular account that the people who oppose climate change research and the people who oppose the teaching of evolution are the same, and that evangelical Protestantism is clearly linked to both.”

Evangelicals more likely to believe in climate change than evolution

According to a new study by Rice University, American evangelicals...

Climate scientists are looking beyond preventing greenhouse gas emissions. Now, they’re looking at a potential method of turning global warming into global cooling: aerosol “antacids.”

Instead of looking for yet another idea to prevent climate change, a team of researchers from <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> had a cool idea. They would study the atmospheric conditions that cause cooling after a volcanic eruption, and seek a way to reproduce it.

Most massive volcanic eruptions shoot tons of sulphur dioxide into the air. That causes a cooling effect that can be felt regionally or even globally. 

For example, the “Year Without a Summer” – actually a three-year period – was linked to the April 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. In the midst of the “Little Ice Age,” the eruption dropped temperatures up to 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit in the Northern Hemisphere.

Cooler global temperatures were recording for three to four years following the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa in Indonesia, and the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines also brought a few years of cooling.

Scientists hoped to discover if they could artificially produce cooling conditions similar to volcanoes, but without the ozone-damaging effects of sulphur dioxide. 

After studying the chemistry behind the problem, they came up with calcite. The plentiful mineral is found in limestone, and has reflective properties that would help to cool the planet, the researchers said. It also neutralizes the atmospheric acids that damage the ozone layer, making it a sort of aerosol antacid.

Aerosols saving the planet would have been a laughable idea just two decades ago. They once had a bad reputation when it came to the environment. Scientists linked the chlorofluorocarbons in the cans to a growing hole in the ozone layer. The chemical was also found in refrigerators, air conditioners, and other appliances. However, aerosols no longer contain CFCs.

The idea of spraying calcite into the atmosphere to lower surface temperatures may sound cool, but the scientists admit that the geoengineering project could have unintended consequences. 

Carbon dioxide would continue to build up in the atmosphere, the researchers said.

However, studying this and other geoengineering possibilities help scientists learn more about Earth, and think outside the box when it comes to solving environmental problems.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

Could aerosol 'antacids' be the key to global cooling?

Climate scientists are looking beyond preventing greenhouse gas emissions. Now,...

The Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround South America can bring rain or dry weather to the continent. So can the Indian Ocean halfway around the world, a new study found. 

The study, conducted by climate scientists from the <a href="http://www.universidad.edu.uy/">University of the Republic</a> in Uruguay, took a deep look at the Indian Ocean Dipole. The surface temperatures in the eastern and western portions of the Indian Ocean tend to oscillate. The eastern half becomes warmer, then it cools and the western portion warms, and the cycle repeats. 

Because the Indian Ocean is connected with both the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Dipole can influence those oceans, which in turn influence the weather in South America, the study found. 

The scientists collected a vast store of data about the Dipole, along with the Pacific’s El Niño/La Niña oscillation and temperature variability in the tropics and North Atlantic. They used the data to create computer models studying how conditions in each ocean might influence South America’s weather – as well as each other.

The three oceans are connected by both atmospheric and oceanic “teleconnections,” or long-distance but connected climate events, according to the new research. 

They used observations and mathematical modeling to see how oceanic circulation between the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans might affect the climate in South America. They also looked at atmospheric circulation between the three bodies of water.

What they found is that surface temperature anomalies in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic oceans brought rainfall to tropical regions of South America, according to their models.

Another key finding is that, as ocean conditions become more unpredictable, so do weather conditions in the extratropics, areas outside of South America’s tropical regions. The continent’s internal atmospheric changes are a larger player in extratropical weather than the oceans, the researchers said.

That may change if the oceans and Earth’s surface temperatures continue to rise, the scientists said. 

The researchers hope their modeling can be expanded to look at how oceanic anomalies can affect land regions worldwide. They also hope it can be used to predict and plan for some of the effects of climate change, they said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indian Ocean can change the weather in South America

The Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround South America can...

A London street was underwater Sunday, but it wasn’t torrential rains or rising sea levels that brought the scene of destruction. It was a burst water main – the third in less than a week.

When the main burst just after noon, around 350 people living on Stoke Newington High Street had to evacuate. More than 150 properties suffered damage. 

A similar scene played out on Islington’s Upper Street last week, and there was also a water main break in south London’s Blackheath area on Saturday.

Officials with <a href="https://www.thameswater.co.uk/">Thames Water</a>, the company that maintains the pipes, have launched a full investigation into the water main breaks. At first glance, however, the breaks may be simply due to the pipes’ age.

Many of the pipes in London are 100 years old or older, and without continued investments in replacing old pipe, the system can become fragile, said Bob Collington, director of Thames Water. 

The private water utility  will do its best to make sure customers aren’t stuck with bills for repairing any damage, he said.

Thames Water and the <a href="http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/">London Fire Brigade</a> are working to clean up the spilled water on Stoke Newington High Street. The fire brigade was also using sandbags to try and keep the water outdoors, and retrieving necessary belongings for evacuees. 

Aside from wasting thousands of gallons of water – leaky pipes and water main breaks cost the U.S. alone as much as 6 billion gallons of purified drinking water every day, according to the <a href="http://www.cnt.org/publications/the-case-for-fixing-the-leaks-protecting-people-and-saving-water-while-supporting">Center for Neighborhood Technology</a> – water main breaks can be dangerous to public health. 

Health hazards come not just from the initial flooding, but from toxic mold and mildew that can grow in the walls of flood-stricken homes. Additionally, water main breaks and repairs create temporary openings where contaminants can enter the pipes, according to the <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>.

By Sunday evening, the water was receding. The burst main shouldn’t affect water access in the area, Thames Water officials said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

London water main bursts, flooding street

A London street was underwater Sunday, but it wasn’t torrential...

Jia Wenqi has no arms, and Jia Haixia is blind, but that hasn’t kept the two men from taking on a mission: planting trees and reforesting their village in Hebei Province, China. 

That mission was recently captured in a short, 10-minute documentary by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6hBgNNacE">GoPro</a> called <a href="https://gopro.com/goproforacause/brothers">Brothers</a>.

When Wenqi and Haixia were children, the river near their village of Yeli was full of fish and shrimp, and birds and wild rabbits were plentiful, they said.

Then a quarry moved in, removing trees and grass and spreading vast clouds of dust, Wenqi and Haixia said. 

Like their environment, the two men had undergone changes over the years. Neither was born with their current disabilities. Jia Wenqi lost his arms when he touched a power line at the age of three. Jia Haixia was born blind in one eye, but an industrial accident at the quarry took the vision in his other eye.

When Haixia lost his vision, it was frustrating. He could no longer read the newspaper or perform basic tasks, he said. 

That’s when Jia Wenqi stepped in and offers his “sleeve,” Haixia said.

“You’ll be my arms, I’ll be your eyes,” Wenqi told him. 

The childhood friends were determined to find some way to contribute to their community. That’s when they began noticing that the birds were disappearing, and dust from the quarry had choked the river.  

“We asked ourselves, ‘What are we going to do?’” Wenqi said in the short film. “We can’t just be sitting around, useless to society. There weren’t a lot of options for us, but being alive means having a purpose. So we said to each other, ‘Let’s plant trees.’”

Every tree is an air purifier, they noted.

So Wenqi and Haixia began planting trees in 2002. They didn’t have money to buy seeds or saplings, so they took cuttings from the few remaining trees and coaxed them into growing. 

At first they thought planting trees would be easy. They planted 800 trees the first year – but most died from lack of water. Instead of giving up, the two found wet areas where they could plant. 

They’ve planted more than 10,000 healthy trees since they began, and birds have returned to the area to nest in them.

The pair originally planned to cut some of the trees for money while continuing to plant new saplings, they told the <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/987430.shtml">Global Times</a>. When people began taking notice of their forest and helping the two men support themselves and their families, they no longer needed to sell any trees and it became a moot point. They could turn their work purely into an environmental mission, they said.

The short film of their work, shot with GoPro cameras, was released on YouTube in June, but it recently went viral. It’s racked up nearly half a million views so far. So has a much shorter video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2cqQA_zsKY">Great Big Story</a> about the two best friends. 

In both films, the men state their mission: To help the environment and leave a forest for future generations. 

The pair are in good company. In 1977, Wangari Maathai of Kenya founded the <a href="http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/">Green Belt Movement</a>. Her movement focused on environmental conservation, especially through planting trees. 

The Green Belt Movement offered stipends to women who planted seedlings throughout Kenya. Like people with disabilities in China, women in rural Kenya had limited opportunities at the time the movement was founded. But like , those women didn’t let the limitations of their society stop them from doing something meaningful.

“The future of the planet concerns all of us, and we should do what we can to protect it. As I told the foresters, and the women, you don't need a diploma to plant a tree,” Maathai wrote in her autobiography Unbowed.

As of 2012, women in the movement had planted more than 51 million trees, according to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-bechtel/wangari-maathai_b_1958853.html">Wanjira Mathai</a>, daughter of Wangari Maathai, who has continued her mother’s work after her death. Wangari Maathai was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. 

Other organizations focus on reforestation to build diplomacy, boost marginalized communities, and simply to help the environment. Mature trees can take in up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. That means that when the 10,000 trees in Yeli, China have matured, they will offset 48,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

<a href="http://www.plantingpeace.org/">Planting Peace</a> has donated more than 1 million tree seeds since it began its conservation program. They focus on Moringa trees, which not only grow quickly but also sprout leaves that can be harvested and eaten. Most of their seeds are going to Haiti, where deforestation is a massive problem.

<a href="http://www.peacetreesvietnam.org/">PeaceTrees Vietnam</a> offers a program where travelers can work with Vietnamese citizens to reforest parts of the country that are still reeling from decades of warfare. The goal is to build ties between citizens of the two countries while healing the land. 

The <a href="https://www.arborday.org/">Arbor Day Foundation</a> helps plant trees around the world, repairing forests after natural disasters or man-made deforestation.

There are also groups like <a href="http://www.treesforthefuture.org/">Trees for the Future</a>, which provides people living in poverty with a “forest garden,” including fruit trees, to help repair degraded farm land and provide a source of income.

“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees,” Wangari Maathai once said. 

In the GoPro documentary, Jia Wenqi unintentionally echoed her.

“If everyone planted one or two trees a year, imagine the difference we could make,” Jia Wenqi said.

GoPro plans to begin collecting donations to help Jia Wenqi and Jia Haixia in their forest-building mission soon, the company said.

Men on a mission: disabilities don't keep pair from planting trees in China

Jia Wenqi has no arms, and Jia Haixia is blind,...

Great Britain has a very effective tool in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions: wind farms.

So claims a new study that analyzed how much power was generated by wind farms and used throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, and calculated how that reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 

The study, conducted by engineers from the <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>, found that the wind farms prevented the creation of nearly 40 million tons (36 million metric tons) of greenhouse gases over six years. 

That blows away government estimates of how effective the wind farms would be at cutting pollution by millions of tons, the researchers said. 

The study was the first to use real data instead of estimates, the researchers said. They analyzed the <a href="https://www.nationalgridus.com/">National Grid</a>, looking at energy output from the wind farms between 2008 and 2014, in half-hour increments. 

It was also the first to study the impact of wind farms on energy production in Great Britain, said lead author Dr. Camilla Thomson. 

Energy in Great Britain comes from a mix of sources, so when energy production from the wind farms increases, output from more traditional sources like coal and natural gas decreases. The researchers took that into account when calculating the wind farms’ effect on carbon emissions. 

Their research suggests that investment in more wind turbines could help the UK meet its goals for reducing carbon emissions, the engineers said.

While Thomson’s research was the first to study wind turbine energy production’s effect on emissions in Great Britain, wind energy has proven a valuable asset in providing clean energy elsewhere. 

In California, three wind farms produce enough electricity each year to power a city the size of San Francisco, according to the <a href="http://www.energy.ca.gov/">California Energy Commission</a>. One of them, the Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, is the largest on-shore wind farm in the U.S. and third largest in the world.

Texas beats California for the most wind-generated power in the U.S. A windy day in December 2015 helped the state break a major record: wind provided 45 percent of the state’s energy for a short time, according to <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/texas-sets-new-all-time-wind-energy-record/">Scientific American</a>. 

China has gone on a wind turbine building frenzy in recent years, and now builds two turbines every hour, double the United States. However, the country’s power grid prioritizes energy from coal plants, so the massive wind farms are unused 15 percent of the time, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37409069">BBC</a> said. The country has continued to build new coal plants even as it invests heavily in wind and solar power.

Great Britain has the three biggest offshore wind farms in the world, and another seven in the top 25. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy-policy">Energy Policy</a>. Funding was provided by the <a href="https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/">Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind farms drastically cut carbon emissions in Great Britain, study says

Great Britain has a very effective tool in the fight...

Bill Gates, alongside a dream team of the some of the world’s wealthiest men, will spearhead a $1 billion fund to invest in green energy. The group of backers also includes Sir Richard Branson, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, boasting a combined net worth of over $171 billion.

This week, the team of investors launched<a href="http://www.b-t.energy"> Breakthrough Energy Ventures</a> (BEV), which aims to invest $1 billion in green energy over the next 20 years. The initiative began brewing last year at the <a href="http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/">Paris Climate Summit</a>, and plans to take a more long-term, nuanced approach to backing affordable and reliable green energy sources. The BEV fund will began making investments in 2017.

Said Gates, "Our goal is to build companies that will help deliver the next generation of reliable, affordable, and emissions-free energy to the world. I am honored to work along with these investors to build on the powerful foundation of public investment in basic research."

Afters Gates left Microsoft in 2014, he has made a new career in philanthropy and has already invested several clean energy initiatives. 

As Gates told <a href="http://qz.com/859860/bill-gates-is-leading-a-new-1-billion-fund-focused-on-combatting-climate-change-through-innovation/">Quartz</a>, “Anything that leads to cheap, clean, reliable energy we’re open-minded to."

Gas trader John Arnold is another backer of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Arnold believes that because prior clean energy investors have seen small returns, there is now a shortage of funding for green energy technology. 

"The dearth of venture funding for clean energy technologies threatens to create a valley of death for the industry, with emerging ideas unable to find the necessary capital to reach commercialisation," said Arnold. “As an investor-led effort, Breakthrough Energy Ventures is designed as a source of patient capital to spur innovation to meet the growing demand for low-cost, clean energy solutions."

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bill Gates and billionaire dream team announce green energy initiative

Bill Gates, alongside a dream team of the some of...

The Dieselgate scandal is still making waves in the automobile industry more than a year after it entered the public consciousness. Now, <a href="http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/">Volkswagen UK</a> has reported a drop in its market share – and is warning of potential legal threats.

Dieselgate began in 2013, when researchers from <a href="https://www.wvu.edu/">West Virginia University</a> and the <a href="http://www.theicct.org/">International Council on Clean Transportation</a> began noticing that Volkswagen vehicles often had different nitrogen oxide emissions during lab testing than in road tests. Nitrogen oxide is a byproduct of vehicle fuel use.

They shared their findings with the <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, which confronted Volkswagen. After several rounds of back and forth accusations and denials, Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 that it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-18/epa-says-volkswagon-software-circumvented-car-emissions-testing">cheated on U.S. emissions tests</a>. The tampering affected both Volkswagen and Audi cars, it said.

Last month, California regulators found an additional software program in the Audi cars that also falsifies carbon dioxide readings, according to the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-probe-in-germany-extended-to-chairman-1478429066">Wall Street Journal</a>. 

In the United Kingdom, the ongoing and widening Dieselgate scandal could spell more trouble for the automaker. Volkswagen has already settled the nitrogen oxide tampering case in the U.S. for $15 billion, according to <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/volkswagen-settles-emissions-scandal-15-billion/">PBS NewsHour</a>.

<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house">Companies House</a> has warned that accounts filed for the year ending in December 2015 warned of lawsuits filed against the car company’s UK branch. No lawsuits have yet been served. 

UK drivers are angry that they weren’t offered the same compensation packages U.S. customers were, officials said.

A modification created by Volkswagen ensures that their vehicles meet emissions standards, but only 10 percent of UK drivers have upgraded their cars, officials said.

Volkswagen UK has taken a hit. Costs related to stocking the equipment to upgrade vehicles are expected to total around £13 million. Market share has slipped by nearly a percentage point, from 20.3 percent to 19.5, officials said.

Nearly 23 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK are from transportation sources, according to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-2014">a 2014 survey</a>. That includes automobiles. Many climate scientists believe greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dieselgate scandal could lead to lawsuits in UK

The Dieselgate scandal is still making waves in the automobile...

Scientists are studying data from five satellites over two decades to get a better sense of how Antarctic glaciers are retreating.

They’ve discovered something interesting: the melting glaciers are shrinking at different rates, even when they’re in the same location.

In fact, some of the glaciers are thinning at three times the rate of their neighbors, the scientists said.

The researchers, led by Dr. Hannes Konrad, focused primarily on six Antarctic glaciers that flow into the Amundsen Sea: Pine Island, Thwaites, Haynes, Pope, Smith, and Kohler. 

The Pine Island Glacier is known to be contributing more to rising sea levels than the others, the agency said.

Warming ocean waters cause the glaciers to thin and melt more quickly, Konrad said. Where glaciers meet the sea, a portion of the ice shelf floats. Water causes that floating portion to melt, and ice flows from the upper part of the glacier to replace what is lost to melt, Konrad said. 

Warmer water melts the floating portion of the glacier more quickly, he said. Then the glacier thins as ice flows toward the water faster than it can be replenished by snow.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.cpom.org/">Centre for Polar Observation</a> in the UK examined data going back to 1992 from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency’s</a> ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat and CryoSat, along with <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA’s</a> IceSat.

They found that all of the Amundsen Sea glaciers thinned during that time. However, in some cases that thinning was erratic. For example, thinning of the Thwaites Glacier stopped entirely for four years, while the neighboring Pine Island Glacier continued to thin drastically. 

The variations could be accounted for by several different conditions, Konrad said. Topography, hydrology, glacier catchment size, and even the bedrock could alter how quickly the glaciers melt, he said.

The scientists hope to use the data to better calculate sea level rise and glacial retreat. That analysis will improve modeling of how Antarctic glaciers may continue to thin and melt, the researchers said. 

The study was presented at the <a href="https://sites.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union’s</a> fall meeting in San Francisco, California.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Team of scientists tracks retreat of Antarctic glaciers by satellite

Scientists are studying data from five satellites over two decades...

Today, the town of Blythe, California is in an inland desert. It’s a far cry from 5 million years ago, when the geological record of ancient ocean tides shows the Colorado River flowed into the Gulf of California in that place, according to a new study.

A team of <a href="http://uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a> geologists traveled to the town near the Arizona border to study the sedimentary rock along valley that houses the Colorado River. 

They found that Blythe was once beachfront property. The layers of sediment aren’t even. Instead, the layers vary rhythmically, pointing to tides ebbing and flowing and shifting the sediment deposits in the process, the researchers said.

A number of the desert rocks near Blythe, particularly the Bouse Formation. The rock formation is awash with tidal features, according to geologists. They’ve long suspected that the Bouse Formation would hold clues to prehistoric water flows in the region.

Now, the new research shows it was probably once underwater – specifically, under the northern end of the Gulf of California, which now begins south of the U.S-Mexico border.

Previously, scientists believed that it was under one of a series of freshwater lakes, said Brennan O’Connell, a graduate student at the University of Oregon and lead author of the study. The new evidence of the motion of ancient ocean tides in the layers of rock is one of just several clues indicating the gulf once stretched much farther north.

Another piece of evidence that’s in the geological record: uplift, the slow, vertical raising of the Earth’s surface, the researchers said. The former sea floor is approximately 1,082 feet higher these days than it was 5 million years ago, O’Connell said. 

The new geological study confirms a theory paleontologists have put forward for years. The fossil record experts have found remnants of saltwater creatures in the area for more than 50 years, but geologists who supported the freshwater lake hypothesis believed birds of prey must have carried them to the region, the researchers said. The new evidence that the saltwater gulf stretched from the ocean north to the Blythe area fits better with that fossil record.

Sedimentary deposits look very different when ocean tides play a role in their formation versus lake waters, the researchers said. They also used mathematical analyses to back up their findings.

The study was shared online and will be published by the journal <a href="http://geology.com/">Geology</a>. 

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient ocean tides left their mark in layers of desert rock

Today, the town of Blythe, California is in an inland...

<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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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