Higher-income households in US counties hit by floods and hurricanes are more likely to flee, taking their resources with them. This trend has significant economic impacts on at-risk communities, including reduced ability to recover from disasters and prepare for future catastrophes.
University of Houston researchers are developing an AI-powered dashboard for Florida food pantries, aiming to streamline stakeholder collaboration and distribute resources to families in need. The tool will enable emergency coordinators to respond quickly to spikes in demand, prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations.
Researchers identified counties with vulnerable populations susceptible to longer-term power outages in the five-state region. Findings showed that hurricanes/tropical storms and heat waves were associated with the longest power outages, clustering in coastal and riverside counties.
The elimination of federal and state tools to monitor and forecast climate disasters imperils public health efforts. Climate data is crucial for preparing and responding to heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes, particularly affecting vulnerable populations.
Researchers at SwRI create a custom test rig to study how blending hydrogen into liquid natural gas affects storage tank temperatures and steel material integrity. The goal is to determine if tanks can endure lower temperatures without compromising safety.
China experienced severe rainstorms and flooding disasters in 2024, with the Yangtze River basin and southern regions witnessing intense rainfall. The country saw its second-longest heatwave on record, while autumn typhoons displayed exceptional intensity.
Researchers Brian Yanites and colleagues propose a unified, interdisciplinary approach to studying cascading land surface hazards. The new framework aims to refine theory, models, and hazard monitoring to better understand and manage interconnected threats.
Natural climate solutions like wetland restoration and reforestation face various barriers, including lack of funding, insufficient information, and ineffective policies. The study highlights the need for collaborations across sectors and disciplines to unlock their full potential.
Record-breaking flooding in Central Asia was attributed to heavy snowmelt, extreme rainfall, and record-high soil moisture. Climate change amplifies compound disasters, posing significant challenges for predictions and projections of spring flooding risks.
Researchers examine how modern environmental movement prioritizes property and community norms over societal concerns. A University of Illinois professor analyzed the Santa Barbara oil spill to understand this phenomenon, finding that 'ownership environmentalism' restricts environmental justice and equity.
A study found that children whose mothers experienced Superstorm Sandy during pregnancy showed distinct brain differences that could affect their emotional development. Prenatal exposure to extreme heat and climate events rewrote critical emotion regulation centers in the developing brain.
Researchers at Tufts University warn that vulnerable communities in the Southeastern US are at high risk of extreme heat and flooding events. To prepare for these disasters, they propose a framework to help communities anticipate and respond to unexpected events.
Researchers at Drexel University and the University of Maryland found a statistically significant link between severe natural disasters and loss of health care infrastructure. The study suggests that communities experiencing severe disasters often face declines in health care resources, with effects lasting for years.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025, causing 4,900 fatalities and widespread destruction. The event exposed weaknesses in urban planning, preservation, and disaster preparedness, emphasizing the need for reconciliation with seismic resilience.
A study found that a mismatch between government and public perceptions of natural disasters can lead some residents to remain in their homes despite evacuation efforts. Researchers suggest that understanding these differences can inform state disaster preparedness and aid government efforts.
The book presents latest Japanese research on climate change impacts and adaptation policies, focusing on the S-18 Project. It provides comprehensive knowledge and strategies to combat climate change impacts in major sectors, including agriculture, forestry, and natural ecosystems.
A new study by Dartmouth researchers lays out a scientific framework for tracing specific climate damages back to emissions from individual fossil fuel companies. The framework combines climate modeling with publicly available emissions data to provide robust emissions-based attributions of climate damages at the corporate scale.
A new study suggests a changing climate threatens the continuous availability of safe blood across the world. Researchers warn that warmer temperatures, natural disasters, and infectious diseases will impact the ability of people to donate and trigger a rise in blood demand.
A recent analysis found that rates of colorectal cancer diagnoses dropped during Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico, but late-stage diagnoses eventually exceeded expectations. Limited access to cancer screening services due to these disasters likely hindered timely CRC diagnoses.
Researchers found that introducing moderate natural light into the bedroom before waking improves wakefulness and reduces sleepiness. The study suggests controlling natural light in the sleep environment may help promote a more comfortable awakening.
A new study highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities, with residents emitting significantly less carbon than the national average yet suffering disproportionately due to historical and systemic inequalities. Social workers are essential in driving society toward a future that reduces dependen...
Fossil fuels are driving interlinked crises that threaten people, wildlife, and a livable future. The review highlights the importance of transitioning to clean, renewable energy and materials across the economy.
A Rice University researcher is working to fortify buildings in Haiti against future earthquakes with cost-effective retrofitting solutions. The study, recently published in Earthquake Spectra, explores five techniques to improve seismic performance, including steel braces and reinforced concrete jacketing.
Researchers developed FAST-NPS, a new automated method to discover and scale up bioactive natural products from Streptomyces. The method uses self-resistance genes as markers to prioritize biosynthetic gene clusters with bioactivity.
A new book by Komla Dzigbede explores the ability of local governments to learn, adapt, and innovate in the face of major crises. The book analyzes disaster preparedness, response, and economic development post-disaster, offering practical lessons for local leaders.
A new ACS-led study reveals that patients exposed to wildfire disasters during recovery from lung cancer surgery have longer hospital stays, posing significant challenges to their well-being. The findings highlight the need for disaster preparedness guidelines tailored to vulnerable patient populations.
A new study reveals a significant southward shift in hurricane formation over the North Atlantic Ocean, linked to changes in wind patterns and warming trends. This trend raises concerns about increased disaster risks for vulnerable communities and coastal areas.
Researchers have made significant progress in biomimetic synthesis, mimicking biosynthetic processes to design synthetic strategies for natural products. Despite challenges, the approach holds promise for creating complex molecules and expanding molecular libraries for drug research.
A new study developed a computer model to predict household displacement duration in US communities after disasters, accounting for socioeconomic factors. The model combines physical damage estimates with socioeconomic characteristics to help inform risk mitigation strategies.
Researchers introduce a performance-based framework that integrates hydroclimate variability, hydrology, machine learning, community knowledge and feedbacks between physical and social systems. This approach enhances understanding of flood risks while emphasizing long-term community resilience.
Researchers at Purdue University are studying mosquito antennae to develop acoustic sensors that can detect natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. By mimicking the unique structure of these antennae, they hope to create more sensitive sound-detection technology.
Researchers developed a quantitative evaluation method for energy resilience in disasters by simulating power outage scenarios in buildings with solar power generators and storage batteries. The study found that energy resilience is highest when the power outage coincides with daylight hours.
A new study estimates the societal costs of blowing dust and wind erosion at approximately $154 billion per year across the United States. Dust can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses, causing significant medical costs, while also damaging homes and landscaping, transportation systems, and agricultural productivity.
A collaborative effort investigates the Sikkim Himalaya flood, exploring its drivers, causes, and downstream impacts. The research aims to inform disaster risk reduction and build resilience in vulnerable regions.
Professor Simon Stellmer from the University of Bonn is awarded a €150,000 ERC Proof of Concept Grant to improve measurement accuracy and monitor ground motion with high-precision rotation sensors. The technology aims to enhance natural disaster early warning systems and commercialize innovative gyroscope technology.
A recent study reveals China's spatio-temporal patterns of temperature extremes over six decades, highlighting alarming warming trends and the impact of global atmospheric drivers. The research analyzed 14 extreme temperature indices across 2138 weather stations, finding significant changes in cold and warm extremes.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction found that US homeowners take proactive steps to protect their properties before and after hurricanes, but often fall short due to inadequate regulations. The study's methodology provides a framework for future research on incentivizing comprehensive prote...
A new USC study reveals that the US is facing a shortage of 4.5 million homes due to policy missteps in the early 2000s, which led to a historic housing bubble and subsequent Great Recession. The crisis has disproportionately affected millennials and people of color, with racial and ethnic disparities in homeownership widening over time.
A survey conducted by Professor Takahiro Endo at Osaka Metropolitan University found that Hiroshima Prefecture provided a free water inspection service for well owners after the 2018 floods, promoting their initiative to open inspected wells to the public. This collaborative effort supplemented local governments' emergency water supply...
Researchers found that taller Japanese black pine trees have deeper roots, making them more resistant to disasters. Shorter trees are more likely to fall due to inadequate root growth.
The 2024 Global Water Monitor Report reveals a worsening trend of intense floods, prolonged droughts, and record-breaking climate extremes. The report found that rising temperatures are changing the way water moves around the planet, with devastating consequences for human populations and ecosystems.
A new study by University of California, Davis, found that the current estimate of the social cost of carbon is too low, increasing to over $280 per ton of CO2 emitted. This higher estimate reflects the impact of climate change on human welfare, including economic growth and unique natural systems.
Researchers in China studied wind disasters from 2021 to 2024 and developed rating standards for structural damage. Closing interior doors during strong winds reduces indoor wind speeds and enhances safety, according to the study.
Mathematicians at University of Leicester applied statistical mechanics to detect human-made and natural causes of climate change, enabling early warnings of potential disasters. The theory provides a more advanced understanding of climate mechanisms driving change.
A new analysis of over 3,000 studies reveals that flooding increases preterm births by around 3% and low birth weights in children born during flood events. The study highlights the need for emergency services to evacuate pregnant people before flooding events.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks report highlights environmental changes and extremes impacting Alaskans and their livelihoods. Warmer temperatures are particularly notable in winter, with the northern state experiencing an 8.2°F increase.
A novel physical reservoir computing device uses a dye-sensitized solar cell to mimic human synaptic elements, enabling efficient time-series data processing and low power consumption. The device achieved high computational performance in tasks such as human motion classification with over 90% accuracy.
A new book by Jose Atiles explores the legal and political structures in Puerto Rico that perpetuated a permanent state of emergency, inflicting harms on vulnerable populations. The author argues that colonialism paired with austerity measures and governmental negligence contributed to social and political disasters.
During recent hurricanes Harvey, Imelda, Laura, and Florence, social media buzz focused on politics, pets, and human-interest stories, drowning out important public safety messages. Researchers found that descriptive messaging about storms outperforms safety messages in reaching a broad audience.
Research finds a global imbalance in hydro-hazard studies, with more funding in wealthy regions despite greater disaster impacts in low-income areas. The study calls for more targeted research efforts to address this disparity and reduce the impact of future disasters.
A new study by Cornell University finds that liquefied natural gas (LNG) exported from the US has a one-third larger carbon footprint than coal when considering processing and shipping. LNG's extraction, processing, transportation, and storage account for approximately half of its total greenhouse gas footprint.
A study of 156 countries found that climate-related disasters like landslides and floods are associated with an increase in intimate partner violence against women two years after the event. The effect is similar in magnitude to economic factors, suggesting a potential link between climate change and social drivers of violence.
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine has released comprehensive guidelines for protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding in emergency situations. The recommendations aim to safeguard the health and well-being of infants in disasters and conflicts by ensuring safe nutrition and immune protection.
The SUPERSLUG initiative aims to forecast the impact of sediment slugs on river catchments and communities. The project will use a range of sensors and numerical models to provide comprehensive predictions of where and how long-term effects might be felt, up to decades or centuries after an event.
A study found increased menstrual irregularities in women living in areas affected by the 2023 earthquake in Turkey. Risk factors included post-traumatic stress symptoms, chronic diseases, and smoking.
A new algorithm has been developed to improve precipitation-type classification over the Tibetan Plateau using satellite radar data. The algorithm considers additional parameters to yield a more granular classification, reducing identification errors and providing more useful information for weather forecasting and modeling.
Researchers developed a novel approach to map planted and natural forests globally at 30-m spatial resolution, enabling accurate tracking of forest changes. By analyzing frequency of disturbance on satellite images, the team distinguished between established natural forests and planted forests.
A study published in PNAS estimates that over 3,000 species are at risk of extinction due to earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The researchers found that 42% of these species live in regions where one or more of the four natural hazards have occurred in the past 50 years.
A growing global understanding of drought's impacts, but significant gaps remain in affected communities and developing countries. Long-lasting droughts heighten awareness, while economic factors influence responsiveness to the issue.
A University of Oklahoma researcher has been awarded a NIH grant to evaluate thousands of natural products with therapeutic potential. The goal is to identify specific components of these products that have anticancer properties and understand how they work.