This plastic disappears in the deep sea—and microbes make it happen

An environment-friendly plastic lost over 80% of its mass after 13 months underwater real-time deep-sea conditions.

Summary:A new eco-friendly plastic called LAHB has shown it can biodegrade even in the extreme environment of the deep ocean, unlike conventional plastics that persist for decades. In real-world underwater testing nearly a kilometer below the surface, LAHB lost more than 80% of its mass after 13 months, while traditional PLA plastic remained completely intact. The secret? Colonies of deep-sea microbes actively broke down the material using specialized enzymes, converting it into harmless byproducts like CO and water.

Researchers submerged LAHB films at a depth of 855 m near Hatsushima Island to test real-world deep-sea biodegradation. After 13 months, the LAHB plastic lost over 80% of its mass, showing its potential as a safer alternative to conventional plastics that persist in marine ecosystems. Credit: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

Researchers have demonstrated a new eco-friendly plastic that decomposes in deep ocean conditions. In a deep-sea experiment, the microbially synthesized poly(d-lactate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) (LAHB) biodegraded, while conventional plastics such as a representative bio-based polylactide (PLA) persisted. Submerged 855 meters (~2,800 feet) underwater, LAHB films lost over 80% of their mass after 13 months as microbial biofilms actively broke down the material. This real-world test establishes LAHB as a safer biodegradable plastic, supporting global efforts to reduce marine plastic waste.

Despite the growing popularity of bio-based plastics, plastic pollution remains one of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. According to the OECD’s Global Plastics Outlook (2022), about 353 million metric tons of plastic waste were produced globally in 2019, with nearly 1.7 million metric tons flowing directly into aquatic ecosystems. Much of this waste becomes trapped in large rotating ocean currents, known as gyres, forming the infamous “garbage patches” found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

To tackle this, researchers have been searching for plastics that can be degraded more reliably in deep-sea environments. One promising candidate is poly(d-lactate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) or LAHB, a lactate-based polyester biosynthesized using engineered Escherichia coli. So far, LAHB has shown strong potential as a biodegradable polymer that breaks down in river water and shallow seawater.

Now, in a study made available online on July 1, 2025, and published in Volume 240 of the journal Polymer Degradation and Stability on October 1, 2025, researchers from Japan have shown for the first time that LAHB can also get biodegraded under deep-sea conditions, where low temperatures, high pressure, and too limited nutrients make breakdown of plastic extremely difficult. The study was led by Professor Seiichi Taguchi at the Institute for Aqua Regeneration, Shinshu University, Japan, together with Dr. Shun’ichi Ishii from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan and Professor Ken-ichi Kasuya from Gunma University Center for Food Science and Wellness, Japan.

“Our study demonstrates for the first time that LAHB, a microbial lactate-based polyester, undergoes active biodegradation and complete mineralization even on the deep-sea floor, where conventional PLA remains completely non-degradable,” explains Prof. Taguchi.

The research team submerged two types of LAHB films — one containing about 6% lactic acid (P6LAHB) and another with 13% lactic acid (P13LAHB) — alongside a conventional PLA film for comparison. The samples were submerged at a depth of 855 meters near Hatsushima Island, where deep-sea conditions, cold temperatures (3.6 °C), high salinity, and low dissolved oxygen levels make it hard for microbes to degrade plastic.

After 7 and 13 months of immersion, the LAHB films revealed clear signs of biodegradation under deep-sea conditions. The P13LAHB film lost 30.9% of its weight after 7 months and over 82% after 13 months. The P6LAHB film showed similar trends. By contrast, the PLA film showed no measurable weight loss or visible degradation during the same period, underscoring its resistance to microbial degradation. The surfaces of the LAHB films had developed cracks and were covered by biofilms made up of oval- and rod-shaped microbes, indicating that deep-sea microorganisms were colonizing and decomposing the LAHB plastic. The PLA film, however, remained completely free of biofilm.

To understand how the plastic decomposes, the researchers analyzed the plastisphere, the microbial community that formed on the plastic’s surface. They found that different microbial groups played distinct roles. Dominant Gammaproteobacterial genera, including Colwellia, Pseudoteredinibacter, Agarilytica, and UBA7957, produced specialized enzymes known as extracellular poly[3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB)] depolymerases. These enzymes break down long polymer chains into smaller fragments like dimers and trimers. Certain species, such as UBA7959, also produce oligomer hydrolases (like PhaZ2) that further cleave these fragments, splitting 3HB-3HB or 3HB-LA dimers into their monomers.

Once the polymers are broken down into these simpler building blocks, other microbes, including various Alpha-proteobacteria and Desulfobacterota, continue the process by consuming the monomers like 3HB and lactate. Working together, these microbial communities ultimately convert the plastic into carbon dioxide, water, and other harmless compounds that ideally return to the marine ecosystem.

The findings of this study fill a critical gap in our understanding of how bio-based plastics degrade in remote marine environments. Its proven biodegradability makes it a promising option for creating safer, more biodegradable materials.

“This research addresses one of the most critical limitations of current bioplastics — their lack of biodegradability in marine environments. By showing that LAHB can decompose and mineralize even in deep-sea conditions, the study provides a pathway for safer alternatives to conventional plastics and supports the transition to a circular bioeconomy,” says Prof. Taguchi.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724232418.htm

The oceans are overheating—and scientists say a climate tipping point may be here

Summary:In 2023, the world’s oceans experienced the most intense and widespread marine heatwaves ever recorded, with some events persisting for over 500 days and covering nearly the entire globe. These searing ocean temperatures are causing mass coral bleaching and threatening fisheries, while also signaling deeper, system-wide climate changes.

Marine heatwaves surged to record-breaking levels in 2023, disrupting ecosystems and fisheries across 96% of the ocean. Scientists warn this may mark the beginning of a fundamental climate shift. Credit: Shutterstock

The global marine heatwaves (MHWs) of 2023 were unprecedented in their intensity, persistence, and scale, according to a new study. The findings provide insights into the region-specific drivers of these events, linking them to broader changes in the planet’s climate system. They may also portend an emerging climate tipping point. Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are intense and prolonged episodes of unusually warm ocean temperatures.

These events pose severe threats to marine ecosystems, often resulting in widespread coral bleaching and mass mortality events. They also carry serious economic consequences by disrupting fisheries and aquaculture. It’s widely understood that human-driven climate change is driving a rapid increase in the frequency and intensity of MHWs.

In 2023, regions across the globe, including the North Atlantic, Tropical Pacific, South Pacific, and North Pacific, experienced extreme MHWs. However, the causes underlying the onset, persistence, and intensification of widespread MHWs remain poorly understood.

To better understand the MHWs of 2023, Tianyun Dong and colleagues conducted a global analysis using combined satellite observations and ocean reanalysis data, including those from the ECCO2 (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean-Phase II) high-resolution project.

According to the findings, MHWs of 2023 set new records for intensity, duration, and geographic extent, lasting four times the historical average and covering 96% of the global ocean surface. Regionally, the most intense warming occurred in the North Atlantic, Tropical Eastern Pacific, North Pacific, and Southwest Pacific, collectively accounting for 90% of the oceanic heating anomalies.

The researchers show that the North Atlantic MHW, which began as early as mid-2022, persisted for 525 days, while the Southwest Pacific event broke prior records with its vast spatial extent and prolonged duration. What’s more, in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, temperature anomalies peaked at 1.63 degrees Celsius during the onset of El Niño.

Using a mixed-layer heat budget analysis, the scientists discovered diverse regional drivers contributing to the formation and persistence of these events, including increased solar radiation due to reduced cloud cover, weakened winds, and ocean current anomalies. According to the researchers, the 2023 MHWs may mark a fundamental shift in ocean-atmosphere dynamics, potentially serving as an early warning of an approaching tipping point in Earth’s climate system.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724232417.htm

New Florida law derails campaign to put clean water amendment on ballot

The Legislature made it practically impossible for non-millionaires to amend the state constitution

If you’re not fired up right now about Florida’s Right to Clean Water, it’s time. Today’s issue is not only about the safety and health of our water, but also the right to self-determination. 

We dare to believe that Floridians should have the legal power to protect our families, fisheries, precious wildlife, economies and future generations from government harm. With the limitations and failures of lobbying and litigation, we are blocked from being the good stewards we need to be — and that’s just not right. 

This state constitutional amendment is sponsored by an all-volunteer, grassroots citizens’ initiative and supported by members of all political parties and hundreds of nonprofits, faith groups and businesses statewide. It will enshrine a fundamental and enforceable right for all Floridians to clean and healthy waters, with important terms defined. Without this amendment, a polluter’s right to poison and destroy our water functionally reigns supreme when propped up by poor governance.

The historic Florida Capitol with the modern Capitol complex in the background (iStock image)
The Florida Legislature changed the law governing citizens’ initiatives with the passage of HB 1205, which the governor signed on May 2. (iStock image)

The Right to Clean Water is sea-changing, aimed at government accountability. Once in place, politicians and agencies can no longer undermine the will of voters, compromise public safety or ignore the best available science where clean water is concerned. All government actions and policies of inaction must be constitutionally compliant. 

Of course, powerful pollution interests resist any positive change to the status quo. It’s “good business” to socialize billions in costs and damages to Florida’s natural resources onto the backs of taxpayers, while receiving billions in government subsidies (also from taxpayers). This enables the high-magnitude flow of campaign donations toward pollution-friendly actions in Tallahassee. Things are working just fine for them, as designed, and our amendment posed a direct threat. 

It was therefore no surprise that the Legislature changed the law governing citizens’ initiatives, making it practically impossible for non-millionaires to amend the state constitution. This anti-people’s bill, HB 1205, came into immediate effect when the governor signed it on May 2, in the midst of a strategically important phase of our campaign. The law substantially disrupted operations and forced us to halt volunteer petitioning activities, all but cutting us off from being able to qualify for the 2026 ballot. 

How? In many ways, but here are a few examples: 

Mel Martin
Mel Martin
  • Before, only paid petitioners had to turn in signed petitions to the supervisor of elections within 30 days. Now, all petitioners, including volunteers, have only 10 days – with $50 by-day, by-petition late fees. With regular mail taking up to five business days, this has wreaked havoc to our collection efforts due to the nature of our grassroots operation.
  • It limits the number of petitions a volunteer can “collect, deliver, or otherwise physically possess” before having to register as a petition circulator, which involves disclosing personal information to the state and on the petition form itself — all public records. 
  • It bans our volunteers from filling in “missing information” on a signed petition, which prevents us from correcting minor errors that would invalidate a petition form. Now, our volunteers cannot do simple things to ensure valid signatures are accepted, such as line through “U.S.A.” in the county box on the petition and fill in the correct name of the county. That act now comes with a $5,000 fine.
  • If Florida property owners who are nonresidents (such as Florida’s dear “snowbirds”) wanted to protect their waterfront property rights through the circulation of this petition, and the campaign knew about it, that’s a $50,000 fine for us. The same goes for noncitizens with real connections to Florida waters, to include those who legally live, work and play in Florida.

We joined other plaintiffs in challenging HB 1205 because it’s not only unjust, unfair and unconstitutional (especially to an all-volunteer, underway initiative like ours) — it’s also un-American. If the Florida Legislature wants to erode the individual right to amend, it should refer such a measure to the next ballot so Floridians can vote on it. State power must be legitimized by the consent of the people, not the other way around.

Stay tuned for the fate of Florida’s waters by visiting www.FloridaRightToCleanWater.org.

Mel Martin is the Florida Right to Clean Water campaign coordinator. A Florida attorney and retired U.S. Marine Corps judge advocate, Martin was co-drafter of the amendment language.

Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here. To support The Invading Sea, click here to make a donation. If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu.

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New Florida law derails campaign to put clean water amendment on ballot
New Florida law derails campaign to put clean water amendment on ballot

Scientists just solved the mystery of the missing ocean plastic—now we’re all in trouble

Summary:Millions of tons of plastic in the ocean aren’t floating in plain sight—they’re invisible. Scientists have now confirmed that the most abundant form of plastic in the Atlantic is in the form of nanoplastics, smaller than a micrometer. These particles are everywhere: in rain, rivers, and even the air. They may already be infiltrating entire ecosystems, including the human brain, and researchers say prevention—not cleanup—is our only hope.

“This estimate shows that there is more plastic in the form of nanoparticles floating in the this part of the ocean, than there is in larger micro- or macroplastics floating in the Atlantic or even all the world’s oceans!,” said Helge Niemann, researcher at NIOZ and professor of geochemistry at Utrecht University. Mid-June, he received a grant of 3.5 million euros to conduct more research into nanoplastics in the sea and their fate.

Ocean expedition For this research, Utrecht master student Sophie ten Hietbrink worked for four weeks aboard the research vessel RV Pelagia. On a trip from the Azores to the continental shelf of Europe, she took water samples at 12 locations where she filtered out anything larger than one micrometer. “By drying and heating the remaining material, we were able to measure the characteristic molecules of different types of plastics in the Utrecht laboratory, using mass spectrometry,” Ten Hietbrink says.

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First real estimate The research by NIOZ and Utrecht University provides the first estimate of the amount of nanoplastics in the oceans. Niemann: “There were a few publications that showed that there were nanoplastics in the ocean water, but until now no estimate of the amount could ever be made.” This first estimate was made possible, according to Niemann, by the joining of forces of ocean scientists and the knowledge of atmospheric scientist Dusân Materic of Utrecht University.

Shocking amount Extrapolating the results from different locations to the whole of the North Atlantic Ocean, the researchers arrived at the immense amount of 27 million tons of nanoplastics. “A shocking amount,” Ten Hietbrink believes. “But with this we do have an important answer to the paradox of the missing plastic.” Until now, not all the plastic that was ever produced in the world could be recovered. So, it turns out that a large portion is now floating in the water as tiny particles.

Sun, rivers and rain The nanoplastics can reach water by various routes. In part, this happens because larger particles disintegrate under the influence of sunlight. Another part probably flows along with river water. It also appears that nanoplastics reach the oceans through the air, as suspended particles fall down with rainwater or fall from the air onto the water surface as ‘dry deposition’.

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.708.0_en.html#fid=goog_1943774674

Consequences The consequences of all those nanoplastics in the water could be fundamental, Niemann emphasizes. “It is already known that nanoplastics can penetrate deep into our bodies. They are even found in brain tissue. Now that we know they are so ubiquitous in the oceans, it’s also obvious that they penetrate the entire ecosystem; from bacteria and other microorganisms to fish and top predators like humans. How that pollution affects the ecosystem needs further investigation.”

Other oceans In the future, Niemann and colleagues also want to do further research on, for example, the different types of plastics that have not yet been found in the fraction of 1 micrometer or smaller. “For example, we have not found polyethylene or polypropylene among the nanoplastics. It may well be that those were masked by other molecules in the study. We also want to know if nanoplastics are as abundant in the other oceans. It is to be feared that they do, but that remains to be proven.

Not cleaning up but preventing Niemann emphasizes that the amount of nanoplastics in ocean water was an important missing piece of the puzzle, but now there is nothing to do about it. “The nanoplastics that are there, can never be cleaned up. So an important message from this research is that we should at least prevent the further pollution of our environment with plastics.”

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250721223827.htm

Toxic algae releases chemicals to suppress competitors

An alga that threatens freshwater ecosystems and is toxic to vertebrates has a sneaky way of ensuring its success: It suppresses the growth of algal competitors by releasing chemicals that deprive them of a vital vitamin.

The finding was reported in a new study, published July 2 in the journal mBio. It describes how the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa manipulates its environment to give itself advantages to take over the water column, leading to harmful algal blooms and mats in lakes during hot summers.

Cornell impacting New York State

“Microcystis seems to be able to dominate more and more in the changing climate,” said Beth Ahner, professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and corresponding author of the paper.

The study shows how M. aeruginosa, a common harmful cyanobacteria, produces and releases chemicals, called antivitamins, that mimic thiamin, also known as vitamin B1. In the presence of the antivitamins, other alga species, some of which cannot synthesize their own thiamin, take up the chemicals from the water and are unable to distinguish them from the true vitamin. Inside the host, the chemicals mimic vitamin B1 and inhibit the thiamin-dependent enzymes required for growth. The study also revealed that M. aeruginosa has a specialized thiamin-biosynthesis enzyme that makes it resistant to the antivitamins that it produces.

While the frequency of these harmful algae blooms has increased, the reasons why have been unclear. People hypothesize the rise is related to watershed runoff that carries pollution and macronutrients, like phosphorus and nitrogen, Ahner said. Researchers are also perplexed about why blooms are occurring even in very clean lakes, such as Skaneateles Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. 

“No one’s ever really shown that this organism has an advantage in taking up those macronutrients over other algae,” Ahner said.

In addition, M. aeruginosa produces chemicals toxic to vertebrates. “If you have a dog lapping up the water on the shore and it ingests these organisms, it has the potential to cause severe illness and even death,” Ahner said. The toxins have contaminated municipal water supplies, such as in Toledo, Ohio, on the banks of Lake Erie in 2014. 

In the study, the researchers grew M. aeruginosa in a co-culture with another algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a model organism that researchers use for studies. While C. reinhardtii produces its own thiamin in the wild, the researchers used a mutant version that lacked the ability to synthesize the vitamin. In the presence of C. reinhardtii, M. aeruginosa released elevated levels of two thiamin antivitamins, bacimethrin and methoxythiamin, which inhibited C. reinhardtii. The mutant C. reinhardtii, without its own thiamin, was much more sensitive to the antivitamins than the wildtype. Additions of thiamin to the culture reversed the inhibitory effects of being exposed to the antivitamins, in both the mutant and wildtype.

Co-author Mingming Wu, professor of biological and environmental engineering in CALS, provided microfluidic devices that allowed the team to test the algae with steady, extremely low concentrations of antivitamins, similar to levels found in the environment. “We were able to show that the environmentally relevant concentrations of the chemicals are potentially toxic to organisms in the field,” Ahner said.

Using a technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the researchers identified a few genes they believe are involved in making antivitamins, Ahner said.

Finally, co-authors from Oregon State University shared data that identified the presence of the antivitamin bacimethrin in the environment and at elevated levels when M. aeruginosa bloomed.

Mohammad Yazdani, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, is the paper’s first author. Coauthors include Geoffrey Coates, the Tisch University Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and CALS and CAS at Cornell.

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https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2025/07/toxic-algae-releases-chemicals-suppress-competitors

The Ultimate Guide to Water Health: Cellular Hydration, Energy Metabolism, Detoxification & More

Optimal water intake is without a doubt one of the most vital factors in good health. In essence, we need the proper amount of water in our bodies for every cellular function. Even mild dehydration leads to fatigue, brain fog, headaches and dizziness. However, the subject of water and hydration also happens to be one of the most confusing topics – how much water we should drink? What’s the best type of water to drink; distilled, alkaline, spring, sparkling, still, or some other type? In this article, we will seek to answer these questions and then some. As we evolve this topic, there is something key to keep in mind; it’s not just about how much water you consume. More importantly in the world of hydration is that your cells actually utilize that water efficiently.

Cellular Hydration: Beyond Water Deficiency

While not drinking enough water is the easiest way to become dehydrated, it’s not the only way. The truth is, just like food, water needs to be metabolized. Many people eat enough, but still end up nutritionally deficient due to poor digestion and a sluggish metabolism. Similarly, many people drink more than enough water, yet their bodies are starved for water. How can this be? First, understand that the amount of water a person needs is extremely variable; it depends on various things such as metabolic rate, physical activity, and even the temperature and humidity of the air. For example, working out hard in hot, dry weather, it’s possible to drink more than two quarts and not produce any urine because that water is lost by evaporation or “burned up” by the increased metabolic rate of that active person. On the other hand, a person with a sluggish metabolism, even in hot, humid conditions can be endangered by too much water. These are only two examples, but in reality, anything that affects the physiology of a person can potentially create a stress and therefore affect cellular hydration and the way the body uses water.

Stress & Hydration

Any stress on the body, and stress being defined as anything that may interfere with energy production, can potentially disturb the interactions between water and the cell. Stress causes “excitation” and this causes a cell to take up extra water. In fact, it is well known that the tissues of people with hypothyroid (a stress condition) tend to hold more water; this is referred to as edema, a common symptom of hypothyroid. 1 There are other ways that stress can cause dehydration. Under a stress response, the body secretes an excess of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol has a feedback loop with estrogen, so as cortisol increases, estrogen also increases. It is well known that estrogen causes sodium loss, and has a high affinity to water. In other words, when the cell is stressed, under the influence of estrogen, it tends to uptake more water and swell (edema), causing both a loss of sodium and water. Additionally, stress causes the increase of hormones like aldosterone, which cause the kidneys to secrete excess sodium in the urine and sweat and the cells to hold water. This loss of sodium causes a vicious cycle to occur because when there isn’t enough sodium, more aldosterone is synthesized, which leads to the increased loss of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The loss of potassium leads to something called vasoconstriction, which means vascular motility is decreased, contributing to heart and kidney failure and high blood pressure. In these ways, stress of any sort can cause the increase of stress hormones that alter the cells’ ability to interact with water. This can lead to the loss of sodium and the excess uptake of water into the cells causing not only dehydration but edema. To conclude, “stress” is the true cause of dehydration because it interferes with the proper cellular interaction with water. However, because stress can occur in endless ways, here are some other probable causes of dehydration to keep in mind:

  • A sodium-deficient diet: salt has been demonized in this society; however, it is necessary for proper kidney function, mineral/fluid balance and therefore the cellular regulation of water.
  • Drinking only still water: Most of our water today is either contaminated with fluoride, heavy metals and other toxins, or it is so filtered that it is lacking in necessary minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. So if you suspect you suffer from dehydration yet drink enough water, it might not be enough to drink “filtered water”, you might need to enhance it with minerals, mineral-rich salt or purchase mineralized waters like Gerolsteiner.
  • Vigorous exercise: During times of increased physical activity or exercise, the body undergoes an acute stress response, resulting in the loss electrolytes. The best ways to offset this process is to avoid over-exercising, keep cool (avoid exercising in too intense of heat), increase your intake of sodium and consume more water than usual. Be sure to drink 16 ounces of mineralized (add TraceMinerals or Real Salt) to your water before a workout, one during and one immediately after.
  • Chronic Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol is a stress on the liver for a few reasons but most trace back to its estrogenic effects. Estrogen interferes with metabolic function (including water metabolism), and estrogen causes the loss of sodium in the cell. In one study, the ingestion of alcohol is known to negatively affect the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system resulting in increased diuresis, dehydration and hyperosmolality. 2

Symptoms of Dehydration

Feeling incredibly thirsty is only one symptom of dehydration. As mentioned, water is essential for all physiological functions, therefore, the signs of dehydration can also include:

  • Tension, spasms
  • Constipation
  • In severe cases, kidney and heart problems.
  • Cognitive concerns; difficulties concentrating, recall, attention, psychomotor skills and memory 3
  • Low energy, fatigue
  • Chronic muscle pains
  • Skin problems; dry skin especially
  • Headaches
  • Weight gain
  • Weak immunity
  • Poor detoxification

Considering the roles water plays in digestion, metabolism, immunity and detoxification, and the consequences of destination, it is vital to know how to stay hydrated properly.

Secrets to Healthy Hydration

By now, it is clear to see that hydration is not merely a game of “drinking enough” but also entails stress management (of all sorts), and keeping a proper balance of minerals and water in the body. If you’re wondering how to achieve these goals, here are some tips that you may not have considered before…

  1. Lower Stress Hormones: As we learned, it is estrogen and aldosterone which ultimately lead to cellular dehydration. These hormones cause the loss of sodium, interfering with the proper interactions between our cells and water. Therefore, as strange as it seems, keeping stress to a minimum is an essential part in proper hydration. Here are some ways to lower these stress hormones;
  2. Consume Healthy Salt: When it comes to proper hydration, one of the most important things to consider is the balance between minerals and water. Sodium, potassium and magnesium play an equally important role in hydration as water. However, in our culture, the extra water consumption, combined with a low salt diet is perhaps the worst hydration advice one could get – especially for an already stressed person, let’s say with hypothyroidism. The truth is, salt has an anti-stress effect, capable of mitigating the secretion of stress hormones like cortisol and aldosterone. Also, it’s well known that when the body is stressed, it loses sodium. With that being said, a smarter piece of advice would be to cautiously avoid the overconsumption of still (mineral-deficient) water and underconsumption of salt. Instead, consume healthy amounts of salt (we like Redmond’s Real Salt and Himalayan), and be sure to choose quality water.
  3. Avoid Over Drinking Water: Despite what most of us have learned in America, when our bodies are healthy, we don’t need as much water as we are told. As we have discussed, too much water accompanied by the lack of sodium and stress can lead to edema, swelling and tension. So, if you are the type of person to “chug” copious amounts of water (especially still, plain water) you may want to make a few adjustments. In regards to water intake, this is a matter of quality over quantity. If you’re generally healthy, not overly stressed and you eat a whole-foods diet, it’s likely you do not need as much water as you think. Whole foods contain a generous supply of water, especially fruits, vegetables, broths, etc.
  4. Tap Water Toxicity: For some, tap water toxicity seems like a conspiracy, but the fact of the matter is there is a known presence of toxins in our water supply. In fact, one study by the Environmental Working Group has discovered 316 chemicals in tap water throughout the country, including dangerous chemicals, compounds and metals. 4, 5

Choosing the Best Water

Not all water is created equally; some water contains harmful toxins, others simply lack the precious minerals or electrolytes needed for the proper cellular utilization of water. With this in mind, the water you choose to drink can play a large role in how well your body is hydrated. Here are some of our top picks for water:Sparkling Mineral Water: Sparkling water may be an acquired taste. However, if you have been dehydrated for some time and haven’t known it, once you start, it will be difficult to go back. Not only is sparkling mineral water rich in the exact minerals we need for the cellular utilization of water, but it also contains CO2(carbon dioxide), which has many helpful benefits. For thousands of years, the therapeutic value of carbonated mineral springs has been acknowledged. In fact, the theory that ‘living water’s’ gas content had therapeutic benefits led researcher Joseph Priestley to investigate ways to make carbonated water, and in the process he discovered oxygen. Carbonated water had its medical vogue in the 19th century, but the modern medical establishment has mostly chosen to ignore these effects. However, if we consider that CO2 is the basic metabolic byproduct of healthy cellular respiration, it would make sense that the ingestion of even small amounts of CO2 is beneficial on overall metabolism. Not to mention, sparkling water has a better mouth feel and is also typically rich in important minerals like sodium. Our favorite picks for sparkling are Pellegrino and Gerolsteiner. Both waters are premium, mineral-rich, carbonated waters. However, Pellegrino appears to be much richer in sulfates. Sulfates (sulfur) are a necessary part of a healthy diet. Sulfur is the 8th most common element in the human body and while it is not FDA recommended, the fact is, sulfur is necessary for many important physiological functions including collagen formation, detoxification (especially of cysteine and methionine, two harmful amino acids when in excess), the production of master antioxidant glutathione, and the regulation of inflammation prostaglandins, amongst others. So in our understanding and research, the consumption of these sparkling mineral waters is highly therapeutic! 6Distilled: Distillation is a simple water purification process where water is brought to a boil and converted to steam. The steam flows through cooling tubes and condenses back into water for drinking. The major benefit of this process is that it removes all potentially harmful contaminants, additives, organisms and other toxins. The downside to distilled water is that it lacks any beneficial minerals; however, these can be easily added with a mineral supplement or a pinch of high-mineral salt. One last thing to keep in mind with distilled water is the possibility of serious contamination. If the pre-distilled water contained any volatile organic compounds like chlorine, as the water is vaporized it can actually become concentrated in the finished distilled water. This would create a final product that contains even more dangerous contaminants than it was prior to distilling. Spring Water:True spring water might make for a good choice for water consumption. First, spring water usually contains an ideal pH. Where distilled water is likely too acidic and alkaline water is too alkaline for drinking, mountain spring water is usually in an ideal neutral range. Some also consider wild spring water to be the healthiest water simply because it is in its most natural state, the way nature intended. Like raw food, living spring water contains “biophotons”, small units of light stored which activate the mitochondria. Also, let’s not forget that spring water is free! There’s a very helpful website you can utilize called FindaSpring.com where you can find local, safe springs.

Conclusion

Staying properly hydrated is not just beneficial for plumper, moisturized skin, it goes way beyond that to affect every single cellular process in your body. So tell us… What are your secrets to staying hydrated? Have you experienced any benefits when addressing your water and electrolyte intake? Leave us a comment below!

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https://alitura.com/blogs/biohacks/the-ultimate-guide-to-water-healthy-hydration?tw_source=google&tw_adid=732108520315&tw_campaign=22212219319&gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=22212219319&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4pjW8aHUjgMVmkT_AR3L6SzkEAAYAiAAEgLk3_D_BwE

Lebanon’s Worst Drought on Record Drains Largest Reservoir

QARAOUN, Lebanon (Reuters) -Water levels at Lebanon’s largest reservoir on the Litani River have fallen to historic lows amid what experts describe as the country’s worst drought on record, threatening agriculture, electricity production, and domestic water supplies.

The Litani River National Authority said inflows to Lake Qaraoun during this year’s wet season did not exceed 45 million cubic metres, a fraction of the 350 million cubic metres annual average.

Last year, the figure stood at 230 million. The water currently available in Lake Qaraoun – around 61 million cubic meters – was unusable due to severe pollution, the authority said.

“There were dry years in 1989, 1990 and 1991, but this year is the driest,” said Sami Alawieh, head of the river authority. “We are facing a water scarcity problem across all Lebanese territories and water basins.”

Drone footage of Lake Qaraoun shows a dramatically receded shoreline, exposing cracked earth and dead vegetation.

Lebanon’s hydroelectric plants tied to the Litani basin have been shut down, Alawieh said, causing financial losses and intensifying electricity rationing by Electricite du Liban.

“We have two factors: the decline in rainfall and the pressure on groundwater,” he said.

A study by the authority found climate warming and shifting weather patterns have contributed to more frequent dry seasons and higher temperatures, exacerbating soil moisture loss and reducing the recharging of groundwater reservoirs.

The state utility has slashed supply in some areas from 20 hours a day to as little as 10.

In the fertile area around Qaraoun village, in the Bekaa Valley, farmers were already feeling the impact.

“I have never seen such drought or scarcity of rain as this year,” said Safa Issa. “We used to get snow up to a metre high. Now, it’s been 10 years since we’ve seen any.”

The strain has been compounded by erratic supply of electricity needed to run irrigation systems.

“You irrigate for three hours, then stop for three,” said Fayez Omais, another local farmer.

Suzy Hoayek, an adviser to the Ministry of Energy and Water in Beirut, said a nationwide awareness campaign to reduce consumption would be launched within 10 days.

“The most important thing is to manage demand,” she said.

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https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-07-15/lebanons-worst-drought-on-record-drains-largest-reservoir

Frozen for 12,000 years, this Alpine ice core captures the rise of civilization

Summary:An ancient glacier high in the French Alps has revealed the oldest known ice in Western Europe—dating back over 12,000 years to the last Ice Age. This frozen archive, meticulously analyzed by scientists, captures a complete chemical and atmospheric record spanning humanity’s transition from hunter-gatherers to modern industry. The core contains stories of erupting volcanoes, changing forests, Saharan dust storms, and even economic impacts across history. It offers a rare glimpse into both natural climate transitions and human influence on the atmosphere, holding vital clues for understanding past and future climate change.Share:

    

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Alps Glacier Hides Secrets from the Last Ice Age
The 1999 expedition team collecting the ice core from Dome du Goûter on the shoulder of Mont Blanc. Credit: LGGE/OSUG, Bruno Jourdain

Glaciers hold layers of history preserved in ice, offering unique insights into Earth’s past that can also help us interpret the future. Trapped amidst the frozen water are microscopic deposits of dust, pollen, and even pollutants that scientists can use to examine environmental changes through time. DRI’s Ice Core Lab has used this technique to highlight atmospheric lead pollution and economic turbulence in Ancient Rome. Now, their latest study found that a glacier in the French Alps dates back to the last Ice Age – the oldest known glacier ice in the region. Serving as a record that spans through the development of agriculture in Western Europe and the advent of industrialization, the glacier holds insights into an era of rapid change.

The new study, published in the June issue of PNAS Nexus, examines a 40-meter long ice core from Mont Blanc’s Dôme du Goûter. Using radiocarbon dating techniques, the research team found that the glacier provides an intact record of aerosols and climate dating back at least 12,000 years. Aerosols are small droplets and particles in the air such as desert dust, sea salts, sulfur from volcanic eruptions, soot from forest fires, as well as pollutants and other emissions from human activities. Glacier ice offers the most detailed record of past atmospheric aerosols, and this is the first ice core record from the European region that extends back to the last climatic transition. Aerosols play an important role in regional climate through their interactions with clouds and solar radiation, and the insights offered by the ice record can help inform accurate climate modeling for both the past and future.

“For the first time, we have a fairly complete Alpine record of atmospheric and precipitation chemistry going all the way back to the Mesolithic Period,” said Joe McConnell, Director of DRI’s Ice Core lab who co-authored the study. “And that’s a big deal, because you have two major climate states – glacial and interglacial – and to get a record of atmospheric precipitation chemistry across that huge climate change tells you the most extreme natural aerosol concentrations that you’d expect. On top of that, you have humans going from hunter-gatherers with a very low population through the development of agriculture, domestication of animals, mining, etc, and then a vast population increase and the clearing of land. All of that is happening around this ice core site. It spans the full range of natural and anthropogenic change, and it’s right in the center of Europe – where much of Western civilization evolved.”

The glacier’s location in the Alps is important because it serves as a more intact record of Europe’s local climate than those found in distant Arctic ice. Many aerosols play important roles in driving Earth’s climate, so scientists would like to know how sources and concentrations in the air have varied in the past.

“Ice cores collected from glaciers and ice sheets can provide such information, but since these droplets and particles stay in the air only for a few days to maybe a week, records developed from glaciers close to the sources often are the most informative,” said lead author, Michel Legrand.

The ice core analyzed in this study was first collected in 1999 by some of the study’s French authors. It was stored in a freezer in France for more than 20 years before McConnell and his team brought it to DRI’s Ice Core Lab in Reno, Nevada, where specialized equipment and methods known as continuous flow analysis allowed it to be melted down and the chemistry measured, layer by icy layer.

“Determining what year or period of time a layer in the ice represents can be challenging, so here we used a unique combination of radiometric methods to establish the chronology in the ice,” said coauthor Werner Aeschbach.

“We were relieved to find that even under the unusually warm climate of the 20th century, the cold temperatures at over 14,000 feet near Mont Blanc’s peak had preserved the glacier so that the ice record hadn’t yet been impacted by melting,” said co-author Nathan Chellman.

The historic age of the ice at the base of the core, around 40 meters deep into the glacier, surprised the researchers. Another core collected from a glacier located less than 100 meters away at Col du Dome was found to contain ice only about a century old, despite being much deeper. The scientists attribute this to the strong wind patterns found on Mont Blanc.

“It’s exciting to find the first ice core from the European Alps containing an intact record of climate that extends back through the current ten-thousand-year warm period and into the very different climate of the last ice age,” said coauthor Susanne Preunkert, who was a member of the field team that collected the ice core in 1999.

Insights into Europe’s Past Climate 

The uniquely detailed ice record revealed a temperature difference of about 3 degrees Celsius between the last Ice Age and the current Holocene Epoch. Using pollen records embedded in the ice, reconstructions of summer temperatures during the last Ice Age were about 2 degrees Celsius cooler throughout western Europe, and about 3.5 degrees Celsius cooler in the Alps.

The phosphorous record also told researchers the story of vegetation changes in the region over the last 12,000 years. Phosphorous concentrations in the ice were low during the last Ice Age, increased dramatically during the early to mid-Holocene, and then decreased steadily into the late Holocene. This is consistent with the spread of forests under the warmer climate, and their decline following the proliferation of modern society and the land-clearing that resulted from agriculture and the spread of industry.

Records of sea salt also helped the researchers examine changes in historical wind patterns. The ice core revealed higher rates of sea salt deposition during the last Ice Age that may have resulted from stronger westerly winds offshore of western Europe. Sea salt aerosols can scatter solar radiation back to space and affect climate via their impacts on cloud droplet, size, and albedo, making them important drivers of the regional climate.

The ice record tells a more dramatic story for the changes in dust aerosols during the climatic shift. Dust serves as an important driver of climate by both absorbing and scattering incoming solar radiation and outgoing planetary radiation, and impacts cloud formation and precipitation by acting as cloud condensation nuclei. During the last Ice Age, dust was found to be about 8-fold higher compared to the Holocene. This contradicts the mere doubling of dust aerosols between warm and cold climate stages in Europe simulated by prior climate models. The difference may be explained by increased plumes of Saharan dust depositing in Europe, which remains the main source of dust in the region. The ice core record is consistent with other paleoclimate records that suggest more arid conditions over the Mediterranean during colder climates.

The 1999 expedition team collecting the ice core from Dome du Goûter on the shoulder of Mont Blanc. Credit: LGGE/OSUG, Bruno Jourdain

Uncovering More Stories Entombed in the Ice 

This study is only the beginning of the Mont Blanc ice record’s story, as the researchers plan to continue analyzing it for indicators of human history. The first step in uncovering every ice core’s record is to use isotopes and radiocarbon dating to establish how old each layer of ice is. Now, with that information, the scientists can take an even deeper look at what it can tell us about past human civilizations and their impact on the environment.

“Now we can start to interpret all these other records that we have of lead and arsenic and other things like that, in terms of human history,” said McConnell.

The information can also be used to help interpret how changes in aerosols impact the climate and improve modeling to help us understand current and future climatic shifts.

“If you’re really going to go back and examine all possible climate states, past and future, you need a model that captures true climate variability,” McConnell said. “It’s a laudable goal, but to evaluate how good the models are, you’ve got to be able to compare them to observations, right? And that’s where the ice cores come in.”

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250716000858.htm

Corals in crisis: A hidden chemical shift is reshaping Hawaiian reefs

Summary:Hawaiian coral reefs may face unprecedented ocean acidification within 30 years, driven by carbon emissions. A new study by University of Hawai‘i researchers shows that even under conservative climate scenarios, nearshore waters will change more drastically than reefs have experienced in thousands of years. Some coral species may adapt, offering a glimmer of hope, but others may face critical stress.Share:

    

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Can Hawai‘i’s Reefs Survive What’s Coming?
Coral and red urchin in Maui, Hawai’i. Credit: Andre Seale

Across the globe, oceans are acidifying as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, threatening coral reefs and many other marine organisms. A new study, led by oceanographers at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, revealed that unprecedented levels of ocean acidification are expected around the main Hawaiian Islands within the next three decades.

Increased ocean acidification has the potential to harm marine life by weakening the shells and skeletons of organisms such as corals and clams, amplifying the effects of existing stressors, and threatening ocean-based ecosystems. However, researchers have hope, as some organisms have shown signs of adapting to the changing waters. The study helps researchers, conservationists and policymakers understand the future challenges facing Hawaiian coral reefs and provides information for preserving these critical ecosystems for future generations.

Researchers within the laboratory group of Brian Powell, professor in the Department of Oceanography at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), used advanced, fine-scale computer models to project how ocean chemistry around the main Hawaiian Islands might change over the 21st century under different climate scenarios based on how much carbon dioxide societies continue to emit.

“We found that ocean acidification is projected to increase significantly in the surface waters around the main Hawaiian Islands, even if carbon emissions flatline by mid-century in the low emission scenario,” said Lucia Hošeková, lead author of the paper and research scientist in SOEST. “In all nearshore areas these increases will be unprecedented compared to what reef organisms have experienced in many thousands of years.”

Emissions shape coral reef future

The extent and timing of these changes vary depending on the amount of carbon added to the atmosphere. In the high‐emission scenario, the team found that ocean chemistry will become dramatically different from what corals have experienced historically, potentially posing challenges to their ability to adapt. Even in the low‐emission scenario, some changes are inevitable, but they are less extreme and occur more gradually.

The team calculated the difference between projected ocean acidification and acidification that corals in a given location have experienced in recent history. They refer to this as ‘novelty’ and discovered that various areas of the Hawaiian Islands may experience acidification differently. Windward coastlines consistently exhibited higher novelty, that is, future conditions deviate more dramatically from what coral reefs have experienced in recent history.

“We did not expect future levels of ocean acidification to be so far outside the envelope of natural variations in ocean chemistry that an ecosystem is used to,” said Tobias Friedrich, study co-author and research scientist in the Department of Oceanography. “This is the first ocean acidification projection specifically for Hawaiian waters to document that.”

Coral’s potential to adapt

Previous studies have shown that a coral that is exposed to slightly elevated ocean acidity can acclimatize to those conditions, thereby enhancing the coral’s adaptability.

“The results show the potential conditions of acidification that corals may experience; however, the extremity of the conditions varies based on the climate scenario that the world follows. In the best case, corals will be impacted, but it could be manageable. This is why we continue new research to examine the combined effects of stresses on corals,” said Powell. “This study is a big first step to examine the totality of changes that will impact corals and other marine organisms and how it varies around the islands.”

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250716000851.htm

18x more floods, 105% bigger storms — all from a single clear-cut

New research finds long-term impacts on flood size and frequency decades after trees are removed

Clear-cutting forests doesn’t just raise flood risk — it can supercharge it. UBC researchers found that in certain watersheds, floods became up to 18 times more frequent and over twice as severe after clear-cutting, with these effects lasting more than four decades. The surprise? Terrain details like which direction a slope faces played a huge role in flood behavior. Conventional models miss these dynamics, which could mean we’ve been underestimating the danger for decades — especially as climate change accelerates extreme weather.Share:

    

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Clear-Cutting Triggers 18x More Floods
Clear-cutting can make extreme floods dramatically more frequent and severe, especially depending on subtle terrain features. The effects can last more than 40 years, far longer than expected. Credit: Shutterstock

Clear-cutting can make catastrophic floods 18 times more frequent with effects lasting more than 40 years, according to a new UBC study.

In one watershed, these extreme floods also became more than twice as large, turning a once-in-70-years event into something that now happens every nine.

“This research challenges conventional thinking about forest management’s impact on flooding,” said senior author Dr. Younes Alila, a hydrologist in the UBC faculty of forestry. “We hope the industry and policymakers will take note of the findings, which show that it matters not only how much forest you remove but also where, how and under what conditions.”

Same treatment, different floods 

The UBC-led study draws on one of the world’s longest-running forest experiments at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in North Carolina and is published in the Journal of Hydrology.

The research team analyzed two adjacent watersheds, one north-facing, the other south-facing, that were both clear-cut in the late 1950s.

“We found seemingly minor landscape factors — like the direction a slope faces — can make or break a watershed’s response to treatment,” said first author Henry Pham, a doctoral student in the faculty of forestry.

In the north-facing watershed, which receives less direct sunlight and retains more moisture, floods became four to 18 times more frequent. Average flood sizes increased by 47 percent compared to pre-treatment levels, and the biggest floods grew by as much as 105 percent.

In the south-facing watershed, the same treatment had virtually no impact on flood behavior.

Old flood models inadequate 

Most conventional flood models use simplified assumptions: cut X percent of trees, expect Y percent more water runoff. But this study found that such models fail to account for extreme and erratic flood patterns that emerge after landscape disturbances.

“This experimental evidence validates our longstanding call for better analysis methods,” said Dr. Alila. “When we apply proper probabilistic tools to long-term data, we find much stronger and more variable impacts than older models suggest.”

In short, he adds, forest treatments don’t just raise average flood levels — they can fundamentally reshape a watershed’s entire flood regime, making rare and catastrophic events much more common.

The most concerning finding was that flood effects in the north-facing watershed persisted for over 40 years, confirming that forestry treatments can lead to long-term changes in a watershed’s flood response, especially as climate change brings more extreme weather, putting downstream communities at greater risk.

Policy implications

The findings have immediate relevance for forest management practices, particularly in B.C. where there are similar terrain types and forestry operations in the form of clear-cut logging.

Dr. Alila noted that the model used in this study can be used to predict which parts of B.C. are currently more at risk of extreme flooding. It can also be used to investigate how much of the severity of Sumas Prairie floods in 2021 and the more recent Texas floods can be attributed to global warming and/or land use and forest cover changes.

“Our findings highlight how multiple landscape factors interact in complex ways. As climate conditions shift, understanding those dynamics is becoming increasingly important for forest and water management.”

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250718031220.htm