Articles tagged with Climate Change
A team of paleontologists has assigned a new genus to the largest predatory dinosaur ever found in Germany, dating back to the Middle Jurassic. The fossil, named Wiehenvenator albati, is estimated to be around 8-10 meters long and weighs over 2 tons.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE suggests that climate change was not a primary driver of technological innovation among Stone Age humans. Researchers analyzed animal remains from South Africa's southern Cape, finding that human populations were able to absorb changes to the climate through resources like long-distance contact and ...
A recent study assesses the climate change vulnerability of cities across the US, finding that many city planners have yet to prepare for climate-related risks. The research highlights the need for a more nuanced approach, focusing on human health impacts and sector-specific strategies to address specific challenges in urban areas.
A new study found that plants regulate their leaf temperature independently of surrounding air temperatures, increasing carbon uptake through photosynthesis. This decoupling weakens the link between climate and plant functions.
Researchers used environmental DNA to determine biodiversity in a river, finding thousands of species from aquatic insects to mammals. The method can be automated and may provide unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution for assessing biodiversity.
Researchers using Navy data reveal a vast reef system behind the Great Barrier Reef, spanning over 6,000 square kilometers. The discovery of Halimeda bioherms, large reef-like structures formed by calcified algae segments, raises questions about their vulnerability to climate change.
Scientists have created an interactive game, 'Ice Flows', to demonstrate the Antarctic Ice Sheet's response to climate change. The game allows players to control ice flow and observe its effects on penguins and seals.
A study by University of Kansas researchers found that environmental organizations have shifted towards neoliberal policies, prioritizing economic expansion over radical changes. This shift has led to inadequate responses to climate change and other environmental issues.
A new study shows that climate change impacts seawater chemistry, reducing sperm performance in sea urchins and changing the rules of sperm competition. This could affect the outcome when rival males compete to fertilize eggs, impacting marine species survival.
Researchers discovered two distinct populations of Acropora tenuis coral in the Nansei Archipelago, contradicting previous assumptions about its dispersal. This finding highlights the importance of local currents and specific habitat characteristics in shaping coral populations.
Researchers identified hundreds of western US counties with high risk of exposure to wildfire smoke, affecting up to 82 million people by 2051. The study found that climate change will cause longer, more intense, and frequent 'smoke waves' impacting children, seniors, and communities.
A new system to map the world's biomes has been developed, providing an objective method for monitoring how vegetation reacts as climate changes. The system uses satellite observations to classify the world's vegetation into 24 biome types, revealing substantial shifts in the Earth's surface over the past three decades.
New analysis reveals that 72% of the world's threatened species are imperiled due to human activities such as agriculture, land conversion, and overharvesting. Well-managed protected areas and sustainable agricultural practices can help reduce biodiversity loss.
A study by Carnegie Institution for Science found that climate summaries are comparable to reference texts in reading comprehension level, but can be improved with less jargon and enhanced multimedia.
Climate change is threatening to expose the hazardous waste from an abandoned US military base in Greenland's ice sheet, posing a significant environmental hazard. The site contains toxic pollutants and radioactive waste that could disrupt marine ecosystems if the ice melts.
A US military base in Greenland, built during the Cold War, could re-release frozen hazardous waste into the environment as its ice cover melts. The site, known as Camp Century, contains an estimated 200,000 liters of diesel fuel and toxic pollutants like PCBs.
A new study finds that climate change could remobilize abandoned hazardous waste from a US military base in Greenland, potentially disrupting nearby ecosystems. The camp's infrastructure and waste are estimated to contain toxic pollutants like PCBs and radioactive coolant.
A new study reveals that Democratic voters are more likely to perceive a higher probability of flood damage, expect climate change to increase the risk, and invest in individual protection measures. Republicans, on the other hand, are less likely to trust government to address flood risks and receive federal disaster relief.
A new study on the King Fire in California finds that even large, intense fires like this one do not exterminate spotted owls. In fact, owl populations may be resilient to megafires, contrary to previous studies, which suggests a reevaluation of forest thinning and prescribed burns as conservation strategies.
A recent study by ETH Zurich researchers found that opposing mountain ranges will experience different water balance changes due to climate change. The Juncal region in Chile is expected to become even drier, while the upper Langtang valley in Nepal may see increased water discharge due to glacier melt and increased rainfall.
Researchers link the extinction of isolated Alaskan mammoths to a lack of access to fresh water and rising sea levels. Analysis of sediment cores reveals declining lake levels and water quality leading up to the extinction event.
Researchers propose a new method to model how fast and where organisms will need to move in response to climate change. They find that even short movements in mountainous areas expose organisms to large climate differences, preventing them from maintaining suitable climates.
Research published in Scientific Reports finds that current atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations already commit the planet to air temperatures exceeding 1.5°C over many land regions. This expected extra warming could impact city planning and ecosystem services.
Researchers found that warmer North Atlantic Oscillation conditions reduced cod larval recruitment by 17 percent, resulting in fewer young fish. This effect persisted until the fish were 6 years old, affecting cod catch for up to two decades.
A University of Washington study reveals that polar oceans export organic carbon to the deep sea more efficiently than other regions, storing it for centuries. This process, known as the biological pump, highlights the importance of the polar ocean in mitigating climate change.
Using genomic data from three lizard species, City College of New York-led researchers gained insights on the impact of climate change on animal populations in South American forests. The findings improve ways to model biodiversity distribution in the past and future.
Scientists at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation discovered wildfire changes in cave dripwater chemistry, which will be preserved in stalagmites. The study highlights the need to carefully interpret dripwater data, including trace metals, to avoid wrongly attributing climate change.
A new study finds that policy makers have little idea what ecological terms mean, leading to confusion and ineffective policies. The researchers propose a framework to clarify these terms and promote better communication between scientists and policymakers.
A new study predicts that climate change will restrict migratory birds to small islands in the Arctic Ocean as they retreat north, leading to declines in hard-hit regions and changes in migration pathways.
A new study of ancient graptolite fossils reveals that plankton communities began changing in important ways 400,000 years before massive extinctions. The effects of environmental degradation can be subtle until they reach a tipping point, leading to dramatic declines in population.
A University of Washington team has sequenced the genome of a key ocean microbe, revealing its surprising role in removing life-supporting nitrogen from the water. The findings provide new insights into how these microbes interact and carry out fundamental processes in the ocean, particularly in deep, low-oxygen waters.
A new hypothesis proposes that soot ejected by the Chicxulub asteroid impact caused global cooling, drought, and limited photosynthesis in oceans. This rapid climate change is believed to have led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs and ammonites.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests climate shifts influenced human subsistence strategies but not the driving factor behind cultural and technological innovations during Middle Stone Age. Researchers found that environmental variation did not coincide with these innovations, implying other factors drove human innovation.
A recent study found that El Niño climate patterns contributed to the Northeast Pacific's largest marine heatwave on record. The study also suggests that unusually warm water events could become more frequent with rising greenhouse gas levels, disrupting ecosystems and leading to massive die-offs.
A team of researchers proposes using clusters of small satellites to estimate the planet's reflected energy with greater accuracy. The satellites can measure albedo from multiple angles, providing a multiangular view of the Earth's surface.
A new study found that El Niño climate patterns contributed to a record-breaking marine heatwave in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, lasting for multiple years and affecting marine ecosystems. The research revealed 'teleconnections' between tropical and temperate latitudes, strengthening ocean warming patterns.
A new study predicts a Gulf Stream slowdown will moderate Europe's warming, leading to slower economic growth but still warmer temperatures. The Thermohaline Circulation, which keeps Europe warm, is expected to slow due to global warming.
A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that a combination of volcanic eruptions and an asteroid impact led to the mass extinction of dinosaurs. The research, conducted by University of Florida geochemist Andrea Dutton, used a novel technique called clumped isotope paleothermometry to analyze ancient ocean temperatures.
A new technique using 'smokewater' has been found to disrupt dormancy in blackgrass seeds, making them vulnerable to herbicides. The method could help reduce crop losses due to weed growth, which is expected to increase with climate change.
Researchers analyzed fossil records and ostrich eggshell stable isotope measurements from two Middle Stone Age sites, finding no correlation between climate shifts and technological or cultural innovations. The study challenges the idea that climate change drove early human experimentation.
A study by Dr. Francois-Xavier Ricaut reveals Malagasy genetic diversity is primarily African and Asian, with Austronesian migration dating back around 1,000 years. The Banjar population from Southeast Borneo is thought to be the key driver of this migration.
A new reconstruction of Antarctic ocean temperatures around the time of dinosaur disappearance supports the idea that volcanic eruptions and an asteroid impact caused the planet's biggest mass extinctions. Two abrupt warming spikes coincide with two previously documented extinction pulses.
A new study by NCAR suggests that the recent trend of increasing Antarctic sea ice extent can be explained by a natural climate fluctuation, specifically the negative phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). This natural variability cancels out when simulations are averaged, leaving only human-caused climate change as the p...
A new study analyzes national climate plans and finds the world is unlikely to meet its 2C warming target. The researchers recommend increasing efforts in solar energy, wind power, forestry, and methane reduction to get on a path towards 2C. However, they also note that the 1.5C goal remains achievable with bolder targets.
A new tool enables easy assessment of small-scale hydropower potential in developing nations, considering climate changes and future energy needs. It allows for more accurate decisions on hydropower development and investment globally.
Researchers found that fruit flies adjust their gene expression and metabolism to cope with cold temperatures, with nearly a third of genes altered and half of metabolites changing expression. This adaptation is crucial for insect survival during winter months.
A new analysis published in Nature finds that country pledges under the Paris Agreement would lead to a global temperature rise of 2.6-3.1°C by 2100, exceeding the 2°C limit. The study suggests that additional measures are necessary after 2030 to limit warming to 2°C or even 1.5°C.
Ocean currents intensifying will cause warmer and stormier weather along eastern coasts of South Africa, Asia, Australasia, and South America over the next 100 years. A new study suggests capping global warming at 2 degrees Celsius would require net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2085.
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that peatland ecosystems' ability to absorb and store carbon is threatened by rising sea levels due to increased salt concentrations. The study highlights the vulnerability of blanket bogs in Northwest Scotland to sea-level rise, which could lead to a sharp decline in carbon storage.
A new study led by Carnegie Institution's Greg Asner reveals diverse forest communities in the Andes and Amazon regions that break long-held ecological rules. The research uses high-fidelity imaging to create large-scale maps of leaf nutrients, offering key findings on forest responses to climate change.
A study by Plymouth University PhD student Rebekah Cioffi and colleagues found that widespread and restricted species of Deronectes diving beetles have different levels of bacterial immunity and metabolic plasticity. This suggests that factors beyond just temperature tolerance may play a role in shaping geographical ranges
Research by University of Montana scientists reveals the importance of gravel-bed river floodplains to entire ecosystems, supporting over half the plant life and 70% of bird species in the Yellowstone to Yukon region. These habitats provide complex food webs and essential connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic organisms.
Researchers require improved techniques to grasp climate change causes and its impact on communities, according to Professor Peter Stott. Better information will help policymakers safeguard people from extreme weather events.
A team of scholars argues that the Paris climate target is achievable through controlled implosion of the fossil industry and technological advancements in renewable energy systems. Implementing the target could create worldwide political momentum and limit global sea-level rise to 1.5 meters by 2300.
A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that upward changes in probability make events feel closer and more likely than downward changes. This phenomenon, known as psychological momentum, influences people's behavior and decision-making regarding uncertain events.
A 94-million-year-old climate event led to a decline in essential trace metals, affecting ocean life and potentially causing larger dead zones. This ancient shift may hold insights into future climate change scenarios.
A study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology found that burglary resulted in the largest proportion of total carbon footprint, accounting for 30% of emissions. The criminal justice system also accounted for a significant portion of emissions, highlighting the need to raise awareness about the environmental impact of crime.
Robert DeConto, a leading expert on climate modeling, has won the 2016 Tinker-Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica. His research integrating geological data with modeling reveals likely consequences for future sea level rise from ice sheet melt.
The Boreal felt lichen, a critically endangered species, is expected to decline by 49% within 25 years if conservation efforts are not increased. Human impacts such as air pollution and habitat destruction are major contributors to the decline.
Researchers found that seven of ten populations selected high-quality forage in early stages of growth, while others favored leading or trailing edges. This study provides insights into how animals track plant growth and will aid in understanding impacts of climate change on big game habitats.