Articles tagged with Climatology
A new journal, Energy & Environment Nexus, calls for a science-based approach to balancing economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection. The journal introduces the concept of the 'Energy and Environment Nexus', emphasizing the interdependence of energy, society, and the environment.
Scientists have tracked 1039 dust devils to reveal how they lift dust into the air and sweep around Mars' surface. The study found wind speeds of up to 44 m/s, faster than previously measured with rovers on the ground, and improved our understanding of Martian weather patterns.
Researchers measured gas emissions from 96 US wastewater plants, finding they produce 1.9-2.4 times more nitrous oxide and methane than previously thought. This means taking steps to improve a small number of plants can have a significant impact on overall pollution.
Researchers have successfully reduced ozone-damaging nitrous oxide to harmless nitrogen using a new phosphetane-oxygen catalyst, creating a potential solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The process can be repeatedly reused, offering grounds for hope in combating climate change.
A new study argues that plants cannot survive without a minimum water supply, regardless of their genetic drought tolerance. Effective water management strategies, such as modern irrigation systems and soil mulching, have consistently stabilized or boosted yields, while genetic advances provide little protection once soil moisture fall...
A recent study suggests that Atlantic Ocean currents are losing stability, with evidence of 'stability loss' indicating the region is moving towards a tipping point. This could have significant implications for climate patterns, including harsher winters in north-west Europe and shifts in global rainfall patterns.
A study proposes concrete solutions to increase Africa's food production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Analyzing Africa and China, the research highlights water management in rice paddies, modernizing logistics chains, and improving livestock feeding to curb emissions.
Wildfire disasters worldwide have become markedly more burdensome over the last 40 years, tripling in fatality events and increasing economic losses fourfold since 1980. The escalation is driven by intensifying climate conditions and human activities such as land-use shifts and fire suppression policies.
A new USF study suggests that nutrient upwelling and biological productivity remained stable despite higher global temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific. The researchers found no evidence of reduced nitrate concentrations, a key nutrient for plankton, over the last five million years.
The new Python-based framework simplifies climate dynamics, allowing students and researchers to explore cutting-edge experiments. It features adjustable atmospheric settings and can simulate real-world influences, making it suitable for classroom exercises and advanced research.
A study by University of Arizona researchers found that selecting the right data for flood insurance can significantly improve accuracy, speed, and predictability. The type of data used affects not only payout timing but also confidence in anticipating future payouts, influencing program costs.
New research suggests that severe hail storms in Europe will become less frequent but bigger and more devastating, especially in Southern Europe. Climate experts attribute this to warmer temperatures causing hail to form higher in the atmosphere, where storm updrafts are weaker.
The US Climate Collection aims to publish U.S.-focused climate assessment science and research synthesis papers to inform future national and sub-national assessments. The collection welcomes studies that advance the evidence-based design of future U.S. assessments of climate risks and solutions.
Researchers at ETH Zurich discover unique natural witnesses to the primordial ocean's carbon reserves, challenging previous explanations of ice ages and complex life. The study reveals a massive decline in dissolved organic carbon between 1,000 and 541 million years ago.
Sylvia Dee, a Rice University climatologist, has been awarded the 2025 Nanne Weber Early Career Award from the American Geophysical Union. Dee's research focuses on paleoclimate and climate dynamics, with an emphasis on understanding how natural variability interacts with human-induced climate change.
A new study examines how three sources of ambiguity impact carbon abatement decisions and finds that they can push policy in different directions. The authors' analysis shows that aversion to climate sensitivity, economic damage, and abatement cost ambiguity can lead to varying levels of abatement.
A new study reveals that global warming is accelerating the risk of multi-year droughts leading to extreme water scarcity. The frequency of Day Zero Droughts will increase sharply over the coming decades, affecting 750 million people globally by the end of this century.
Researchers from Japan developed a new statistical method to increase accuracy of flood risk projections across 70% of the Earth's landmass. This approach merges climate scenarios with different socioeconomic pathways, offering policymakers powerful insights for adaptation and preparedness strategies.
A new study finds that El Niño increases the likelihood of extreme daily downpours in India's wetter regions, potentially leading to hazardous conditions. The research suggests changes in atmospheric buoyancy and low-pressure system tracks drive this intensification, which has remained steady over time despite regional shifts.
A new study reveals that small electric charges between particles play a crucial role in forming highly concentrated clusters in turbulent environments. This discovery has significant implications for climate research, medicine, engineering, and science, enabling better predictions and controls.
A new study reveals that tropical forest soils may release enormous amounts of CO2 as they warm, potentially amplifying global warming. The research found that soil respiration increased by 42–204% in experimentally warmed plots, marking one of the largest CO2 release rates ever recorded.
UCSB scientists found that cloud seeding could disrupt the El Niño Southern Oscillation, a major climate cycle. In contrast, stratospheric aerosol injection had virtually no effect on ENSO. The study highlights the importance of considering broad consequences before implementing geoengineering proposals.
Scientists at New York University have identified key factors driving iceberg capsizing through experiments and mathematical modeling. The study provides insights into how climate change affects Earth's waters, shedding light on the complex relationship between melting ice and gravitational instability.
Research by ETH Zurich reveals human-induced climate change has increased extreme heat wave frequency and severity, with fossil fuel and cement production contributing significantly. The study highlights the responsibility of large carbon emitters, such as oil and gas companies, in exacerbating heat waves.
The Madden-Julian Oscillation's speed and intensity are influenced by atmospheric stability, which affects regional convection and tropical cyclones. Uneven ocean warming changes MJO behavior, impacting rainfall patterns and climate forecasts.
Five well-publicized polar geoengineering ideas are highly unlikely to benefit the polar regions and could harm ecosystems, communities, and international relations. Researchers found that these proposals would likely cost billions in setup and maintenance while introducing ecological, environmental, legal, and political challenges.
A new study found that many Arctic-breeding waterfowl species can reduce their migration time by shortening fuelling periods, allowing them to arrive earlier in the Arctic. However, this strategy may only work for a limited time as the clock ticks away due to current rates of Arctic warming.
The 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from February 22-27, 2025. The event will bring together 6,000 scientists, students, and educators to discuss breaking research on the ocean sciences and critical issues affecting a sustainable future for our oceans.
Researchers found that soot particles can transform their shape and behavior within hours of becoming airborne, altering their ability to warm or cool the atmosphere. This rapid transformation affects both soot's warming and cooling effects, as well as its lifetime.
A study by Ben-Gurion University reveals that desert soils can release powerful greenhouse gases within minutes of being wetted, even without microbial life. The team found that chemical reactions drive these emissions, especially for nitrogen-based gases.
The world's oceans absorbed significantly less CO2 in 2023 than expected, with the global marine carbon sink decreasing only moderately. Three physical and biological processes - CO2 escape, stratification of the water column, and the biological pump - counteracted CO2 outgassing and supported the sink's strength.
A new study led by Professor Jonghun Kam predicts that Pakistan will experience major floods and severe droughts on a periodic basis, exacerbated by accelerating global warming. The AI model forecasts these extreme weather events every 15 years for the upper Indus River, and roughly every 11 years for surrounding rivers.
A new study by the University of Gothenburg suggests that thawing permafrost played a significant role in raising carbon dioxide levels after the last ice age. Researchers estimate that this carbon exchange may have accounted for almost half of the rising CO2 levels.
Researchers from the University of Maryland tracked lightning storms in real-time using NASA's TEMPO instrument, detecting nitrogen oxide emissions that affect climate and air quality. The study reveals how lightning can produce pollutants that travel long distances, influencing air quality far from the original storm.
The American Meteorological Society (AMS) has released a statement highlighting five foundational flaws in the Department of Energy's 2025 Climate Synthesis report. These flaws are inconsistent with scientific principles and practices, and require rectification before the report can accurately characterize scientific understanding.
The American Meteorological Society honors individuals and organizations with the 2026 Awards and Honors, recognizing their exceptional work in weather, water, and climate research. This year's recipients include scientists awarded prestigious medals for groundbreaking research in atmospheric dynamics, hydrology, and remote sensing.
A new study published in Science Advances predicts a significant increase in supercell thunderstorms across Europe, with the Alpine region and northern side of the Alps expected to see up to 50% more storms. The simulations show that temperature increases of 3 degrees Celsius will concentrate these storms in the region.
A new deep-learning model calculates urban heat stress per square meter in the future, considering geodata and weather forecasts. The model simulates a range of climate scenarios, including increased heat stress due to rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at Princeton University found that major tropical eruptions create distinct flooding patterns depending on plume location and dispersal. The patterns mostly divide along the line of the equator, with increased rainfall in the tropics in one hemisphere and decreased flooding.
A new method reconstructs carbon dioxide levels and photosynthesis from fossilized tooth enamel, shedding light on the climate of the Mesozoic era. The analysis found that atmospheric CO2 levels were four times higher in the late Jurassic period and three times higher in the late Cretaceous period than they are today.
A new study published in Earth's Future journal reveals that sea-level projections from the 1990s were remarkably accurate, with global sea-level rise averaging about one eighth of an inch per year. The researchers compared these projections with recent satellite measurements and found a remarkable match.
A new study reveals five primary sources of iron have influenced the South Pacific Ocean over 93 million years, including dust and hydrothermal sources. This evolution has shaped marine ecosystems and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
A study published in Science found that total burned area declined globally from 2002 to 2021, but human exposures to wildfires surged by nearly 40%, with Africa accounting for 85% of all incidents. Proactive mitigation strategies are crucial to protect communities from the growing threat of wildfires.
A new high-resolution global forest age dataset has revealed that forests are ageing naturally at a slower rate than before, while disturbances such as wildfires and deforestation are causing younger stands to rapidly grow. This study highlights the pivotal role forests play in regulating the Earth's climate.
New research from Purdue University reveals how moisture influences atmospheric blocking, a phenomenon that often drives heat waves, droughts, cold outbreaks and floods. The study introduces a new mechanism showing that moisture-induced diabatic heating strengthens ridge blocks but weakens dipole blocks.
A new study examines 1.2 billion social media posts from 157 countries, finding that very hot days are associated with more negative moods, especially in lower-income countries. The research suggests that extreme heat affects people emotionally, not just physically.
A new study reveals complex mechanisms by which forests influence climate through interactions with aerosol formation, highlighting the need for regional consideration to maximize climate benefits. Forestation initiatives must balance competing effects of reduced surface albedo and aerodynamic disturbances on aerosol radiative effects.
Researchers found that heat waves across Africa are now hotter, longer, and more frequent, mainly due to human activities. The study aimed to fill the knowledge gap on climate extremes in Africa and provide insights for mitigation and adaptation strategies.
A new study found that planting trees in tropical regions can cool the climate by up to 0.8° F and reduce fire risk, offering significant benefits for global temperatures and ecosystems. The research emphasizes the importance of location in determining tree planting's impact on climate effects.
The State of the Climate report reveals record-high greenhouse gas concentrations, with CO2 levels reaching 422.8 parts per million, a 52% increase from pre-industrial levels. Global temperatures also reached a new high, with annual growth increasing to 2.4 ppm yr−1.
High humidity exacerbates extreme heat's negative impact on cardiovascular health, increasing the risk of heart-related emergencies by six times. Researchers analyzed over 340,000 emergency room visits in Dhaka, Bangladesh, finding a significant association between high heat and humidity levels.
Researchers used a fiber-optic cable to capture calving dynamics across the fjord of a South Greenland glacier, documenting a 'crazy calving multiplier effect' that accelerates glacial mass loss. The data provides a deeper look at the relationship between ice and water, shedding light on the consequences of continued mass loss.
A new study suggests that exposure to wildfire-derived PM2.5 is linked to increased mortality and morbidity, with a 93% underestimation of the actual death toll. The research estimated 535 annual deaths from all causes due to short-term exposure to wildfire smoke.
Researchers have developed a novel way to reach the unexplored mesosphere using lightweight flying structures that can float using sunlight. The devices, which were built at Harvard and other institutions, levitated in low-pressure conditions and demonstrated potential for climate sensing and exploration.
Fossilized dinosaur teeth contain oxygen isotopes that indicate high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere during the Mesozoic Era, which was four to three times higher than today. This data suggests dynamic climates with double primary plant production, contributing to their extinction.
Scientists have uncovered the remains of a vast animal community that lived in the European Arctic 75,000 years ago. The bones represent the oldest example of an animal community in the region during this warmer period of the ice age, providing valuable insights into how wildlife responded to dramatic climate shifts.
Global net primary production increased significantly between 2003 and 2021 due to land's photosynthetic increase, but declined in marine algae. The study highlights the importance of terrestrial ecosystems in offsetting ocean declines.
Recent research from American Meteorological Society journals predicts a new record for lightning and a decrease in hurricane frequency. Additionally, fire forecasts have been updated to better manage water resources in Colorado's Gunnison River Basin.
Researchers found that solar energy delivers the biggest climate payoff in certain US regions, with California and Florida seeing significant CO2 reductions. A 15% increase in solar power led to a reduction of up to 147.18 metric tons of CO2 in California alone.
A new study using NASA's PACE satellite data established a novel method to determine global plant productivity. The technique relies on the light plants reflect, allowing for accurate capture of short-term changes. This approach has significant implications for understanding carbon sequestration, climate change, and ecosystem monitoring.