Tree ring growth in Alaska's La Perouse glacier reveals a slowdown of growth as the glacier advanced and an increase in growth rates as it retreated. The findings provide insights into how ecosystems may respond to rapid climate change.
Researchers studying Mexico City's 700-year history highlight the need for democratic adaptation decisions and prioritizing climate justice over technological innovation. The city's complex water management system, built on an island in a saline lake, demonstrates trade-offs between flood control and urban development.
Scientists have discovered that Patagonia's giant kelp forests are resilient due to frequent marine cold spells, which help regulate their environment and keep temperatures comfortable. The region has not experienced extreme marine heat waves since 1984, allowing the kelp forests to thrive for almost 200 years.
A new study predicts that agricultural water scarcity will worsen in up to 84% of croplands globally by 2050, with green water availability changing under climate change. Effective solutions include conserving agricultural water through mulching, no-till farming, and improving irrigation infrastructure.
Tiny zircons found in South Africa hold the oldest evidence of subduction, a key element of plate tectonics, dating back to around 3.8 billion years ago. This discovery provides new insights into when plate tectonics was set in motion and how it may have shaped Earth's surface and climate.
Researchers found that seafloor spreading rates have slowed down globally over the past 19 million years, with an average slowdown of 40%. This decrease is linked to increased friction between colliding tectonic plates and may be driven by subduction zones. The study's findings could help contextualize long-term changes in the atmosphere.
A new study on Mars' ice deposits provides insight into the planet's past climate, matching layers to Martian orbital dynamics with unprecedented resolution. The findings help scientists understand Mars' climate history and identify potential periods of habitability.
A new study published in AGU journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems suggests that Earth formed inside a solar nebula. The research found that vast stores of helium-3 from the Big Bang are leaking out of the Earth's core, providing evidence for this theory.
Climate change alters ocean soundscapes, affecting marine life's survival and reproduction. Warmer waters speed up sound waves, impacting essential activities like feeding, fighting, and migration.
A new study found that marine cold spells are becoming less intense and frequent due to ocean warming. This shift could reduce the impact of mass die-off events but also diminishs refuges from heat waves, threatening ecosystem resilience.
A recent study using ICESat-2 data found that Arctic sea ice has lost 16% of its winter volume in just three years, with seasonal sea ice replacing thicker multiyear ice. This significant thinning trend is expected to continue, potentially leading to ice-free summers in the Arctic by mid-century.
A region of cooling water in the North Atlantic Ocean near Iceland, nicknamed the 'Blue Blob,' has likely slowed the melting of the island's glaciers since 2011. The cold patch is predicted to persist until about 2050, before ocean and air temperatures increase leading to accelerated melting.
Researchers identified a hidden magnitude-8.2 earthquake as the trigger for the worldwide tsunami, which was buried within complex seismic waves. The study reveals the importance of accurately characterizing big earthquakes to mitigate tsunami hazards.
New research finds the ocean's middle depths are already losing oxygen at unnatural rates and will reach a critical threshold in 2021. Climate change is expected to impact marine ecosystems worldwide, affecting fisheries and other resources.
A new study analyzes three decades of radar data to build a catalogue of rainbands, helping scientists create storm prediction algorithms. The researchers found that 60% of events resulted in at least one National Weather Service warning, with some associated with atmospheric rivers.
A new study finds that the magnetic field generated by a tsunami can be detected a few minutes before changes in sea level, which could improve tsunami warning systems. The researchers used real-world data from two tsunamis to confirm this relationship and provide valuable insights for improving tsunami source models.
A new meteorological phenomenon dubbed 'atmospheric lakes' has been identified drifting slowly over the western Indian Ocean. These compact pools of moisture bring water to dry lowlands along East Africa's coastline, with the potential to create significant precipitation for millions of people.
A major intervention against illegal river gold mining in Peru's Madre de Dios region was only partially effective, with mining activity continuing in surrounding areas. The operation halted environmental degradation in some protected zones but led to a rapid increase in mining outside the targeted zone.
A new study found that Brood X cicada emergence holes significantly increased water infiltration rates in undisturbed areas but not in disturbed sites. The holes filled with sediment and debris over time, causing a rapid decrease in infiltration at disturbed locations.
Researchers found that active carbon in canopy soil was three times higher compared to mineral soils. The study highlights the potential of old-growth forests as carbon sinks, challenging current models. Canopy soils take long time to form and host unique microbiomes, making them a valuable component of these ecosystems.
High-speed impacts could explain why Earth is habitable while Venus is not, according to new research. Large collisions during Venus' early history led to twice as much mantle melting than impact-induced melting on Earth.
A new study estimates that burrowing animals like badgers and porcupines can weaken levees to the point of collapse, causing localized flooding. Dens at higher elevations in a levee are more dangerous than those near the bottom, with potential for catastrophic failure.
Researchers developed a tool to monitor and predict water losses in waterfalls based on their soundscapes, allowing environmental managers to balance water diversion and preservation. The study highlights the importance of maintaining a minimum threshold of water flow for waterfall appearance and sound.
A new study predicts that future East Coast hurricanes will cause greater damage than past storms, with more storms forming near the coast and lingering over populated areas. This is due to changes in atmospheric patterns caused by warmer air temperatures, which will slow down wind speeds and allow hurricanes to stay on track for longer.
A new study warns that California's Central Valley groundwater may be unable to recover from past and future droughts, with less than a third recovered after the 2012-2016 drought. The researchers found that groundwater recovery times can be halved with modest caps on pumping in drought and post-drought years.
Researchers have confirmed the existence of lunar carbon dioxide cold traps that could contain solid carbon dioxide, a key resource for sustaining robot or human presence on the moon. The discovery has major implications for future lunar exploration and international policy.
The Gulf Coast is expected to experience more frequent sequential landfalls, with Louisiana and Florida being the most at risk. This will lead to intensified stresses on infrastructure, ecosystems, and people, as well as reduced recovery time between disasters.
A new study found that air pollution is a major health risk for people living in low-income neighborhoods with high concentrations of PM2.5, leading to increased rates of chronic diseases and mortality. The study highlights the need for targeted policy solutions to address environmental health disparities.
A new study analyzing microfossils in European glaciers reveals earlier-than-expected evidence of air pollution and the roots of modern invasive species problems. The analysis provides non-stop context for major historical events like droughts or famines, helping scientists better understand current climate change.
A new study reconstructs Arctic sea ice levels and currents over 500 years using ancient driftwood, showing a distinct drop in tree arrivals since the 1990s. The research provides a unique look into past Arctic Ocean conditions, shedding light on the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem.
A new study documents the formation of a 3,000-square-kilometer rift in the oldest and thickest Arctic ice, indicating the Last Ice Area may not be as resilient to climate change as previously thought. The polynya is unusual due to its location off the coast of Ellesmere Island, where ice is up to five meters thick.
A new study finds that urban areas are up to 10 times more sensitive to variations in precipitation than rural areas, increasing landslide hazard. Human-made changes to topography and vegetation loss in urban areas weaken slopes and make them more prone to landslides.
A new study reveals that low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in US cities experience higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, primarily due to proximity to trucking routes. The disparity is driven by diesel trucks emitting NO2 and other air pollutants.
A new study reveals that while Western US wildfires contribute more health problems, they affect a greater number of people in the Eastern US due to higher smoke concentrations. The researchers estimated 6,300 extra deaths annually from long-term smoke exposure, with most occurring in populous states.
Researchers found a significant drop in Earth's albedo over the past two decades, primarily caused by reduced bright clouds in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This decrease in reflectivity allows more solar energy to be captured by the climate system, contributing to potential global warming.
A study finds that N95 respirators can significantly reduce hospital visits due to wildfire smoke exposure. The researchers estimated a 22-39% reduction in hospitalizations if N95s were widely used.
Researchers detected acoustic signals from 7 rocket types, including Space Shuttles and Falcon 9s, up to 9,000 km away. They identified different stages of flight for these rockets using infrasound signatures recorded at IMS stations.
A new study using tree ring samples found that Yellowstone's summers have been the hottest in the past 1,250 years, with the past 20 years being particularly extreme. The research provides crucial data for understanding the relationships between increasing temperatures and environmental factors.
Research suggests that global warming caused a shift in the Earth's axis due to glacial melting and changes in land water storage. The study analyzed data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, finding that water loss on land contributed significantly to the eastward change in polar drift.
A new study suggests that early Earth's hotter mantle could have stored more water than today, leading to a larger global ocean. The findings challenge previous assumptions about the size of the ocean and offer clues to its evolution over time.
Even with limited warming, South Asia will experience deadly heat stress due to population growth and already hot climate conditions. A new study projects nearly tripled heat stress exposure by 2 degrees Celsius of warming.
By 2100, winters are predicted to be shorter than two months and transitional seasons even shorter in the Northern Hemisphere. This shift could exacerbate environmental and health risks such as phenological changes and agricultural disruptions.
The start of California's rainy season has been pushed back from November to December, extending the state's wildfire season by nearly a month. Climate scientists attribute the delay to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, which bring more rain to neighboring states like Washington and Oregon.
Researchers suggest a cluster of Alaskan islands may be part of a single, undiscovered giant volcano, with implications for understanding caldera-forming eruptions and the frequent explosive activity at Mount Cleveland. The proposed caldera would be even larger than Okmok and could have had significant global effects.
A study found that amphibian declines due to the amphibian chytrid fungus exacerbated malaria outbreaks in Costa Rica and Panama during the 1990s and 2000s. Preserving biodiversity can benefit humans as well as local ecosystems.
A new study finds that roly polies and other terrestrial bugs are transferring high levels of mercury to steelhead trout, a threatened species in coastal California. The research confirms earlier findings that mercury can accumulate in the top of the food chain in coastal ecosystems.
Climate change has led to an eight-fold increase in the annual area burned by high severity fires across western US forests from 1985-2017. This trend poses significant risks to forest ecosystems and human safety, as severe fires can lead to long-term forest loss.
A new study finds that atmospheric rivers in the Southern Hemisphere are shifting toward the South Pole, which could lead to increased rates of ice melt in Antarctica. The shift is driven by a combination of factors, including ozone depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, and natural variations in sea surface temperature.
The AGU Fall Meeting 2020 is a virtual conference where scientists will present new research and discuss pressing topics in Earth and space sciences. The press event schedule includes conferences, briefings, and roundtables on various topics, including climate change, planetary science, and more.
Researchers found a warming trend in the deep sea, with temperature fluctuations detectable at depths of up to 4,757 meters. The increase in temperatures is consistent with global climate change, but more research is needed to understand its causes.