Research on measuring and modeling the climate. Covers climate extremes, carbon sequestration, monitoring methods, and urban heat exposure.
The new policy paper emphasizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge and data in subnational decision-making for a sustainable green transition. It identifies key strategies to enhance inclusion, such as awareness-raising among policymakers, increasing Indigenous representation, and facilitating knowledge exchange.
Researchers analyzed satellite data from 1967 to 2021, finding nearly twice as many grids with declining snow cover as advancing ones. Snow presence is decreasing in Arctic and southern latitudes, while some areas like Eastern Canada see an increase.
A recent study found that older Americans living in warmer regions are more likely to experience serious vision impairment. The odds of severe vision impairment were 14% higher for temperatures between 50-54.99°F, 24% higher for 55-59.99°F, and 44% higher for those above 60°F.
A new computer model forecasts yield for four key crops in the southeastern US, drawing on climate, groundwater, and agricultural data. The tool helps farmers and water resource managers identify ways to maximize crop yields while efficiently utilizing water and energy.
Climate change is shifting snowfall to rainfall on mountains across the Northern Hemisphere, increasing the risk of floods, landslides, and soil erosion. The study found that for every 1 degree Celsius increase in global temperature, high elevations can expect an average of 15% more rain.
Researchers from the University of Florida have discovered evidence for gravitational waves at very low frequencies, consistent with Einstein's theory. The detection uses a network of radio telescopes to capture millisecond pulsars and create a galaxy-scale gravitational-wave detector.
A recent study by Kyoto University has raised concerns about the authenticity of Big Oil's net-zero emissions claims. The research team found that oil majors are not making sufficient progress in phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to clean energy, despite their pledges to achieve net-zero by 2050.
A new study using satellite data from over 7,000 global reservoirs found that total storage capacity has increased, but the filling rate is lower than anticipated. The analysis suggests that addressing future water demands cannot rely solely on constructing new reservoirs, highlighting the need for novel management strategies.
A new study found that wild and feral cats in high-human population density areas release more Toxoplasma gondii parasites. Temperature fluctuations also played a role in parasite shedding from domestic and wild cats. The findings suggest managing feral cat populations could reduce toxoplasmosis transmission risk.
A virtual reality project, Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk, visualizes the impacts of climate change in the Canadian Arctic. The project, created by National Geographic Explorers and local communities, uses immersive technology to transport users to an island experiencing rapid thawing and environmental changes.
A supersized database of over 45,000 traits tracks the behavior, distribution, and life patterns of fruit eaters and birds in Central and South America. The Frugivoria database provides crucial insights into their role in maintaining forest composition and health.
Researchers develop new approach to quantify respiration and its temperature sensitivity in terrestrial ecosystems. Their findings suggest lower temperature sensitivities than previously thought, but caution that natural components alone cannot mitigate climate change.
A Brazilian study combined urban expansion and land-use changes with hydrodynamic models to identify flood-prone areas of cities. The methodology, validated using actual data for São Caetano do Sul, can be used by other cities to devise public policies and make decisions to address flooding impacts.
Human-induced warming has increased at an 'unprecedented rate' since the last major assessment, with greenhouse gas emissions reaching a record level. The remaining carbon budget has halved over three years, highlighting the urgent need for policymakers and climate experts to access up-to-date scientific evidence.
Key indicators show human-induced warming reached 1.14°C above pre-industrial levels, with emissions at an all-time high. The analysis calls for policymakers and climate negotiators to access up-to-date scientific evidence to base decisions, as the remaining carbon budget is declining.
A recent study published in Flora used social media images of cherry blossoms to track climate patterns and identify subtle off-season blooms. The researchers analyzed 10 years of data from Flickr and compared it with official records of cherry flowering times in Japan, finding a detailed seasonal pattern of blooming across the country.
Unseasonably warm and cold days prolong moth and butterfly activity by nearly a month, according to the study. Insect lifespans may also be affected, potentially leading to increased pathogen transmission.
A study by University of Missouri researchers found similarities in COVID-19 mortality rates between certain US states and Canadian provinces, highlighting the importance of localized public health strategies. The findings suggest that factors such as population density, age, and socioeconomic conditions may have contributed to these s...
Researchers found worldwide protected forests have an additional 9.65 billion metric tons of carbon stored in their aboveground biomass compared to ecologically similar unprotected areas. Protected areas' efficacy in avoiding emissions was found to be significantly higher than non-protected areas.
A WVU researcher is developing a data-driven approach to enhance roadway maintenance operations, incorporating AI analysis of real-time data from sensors on consumer cars and roadside observation stations. The goal is to minimize time and resources spent on less affected roadways, reducing winter maintenance costs and time.
A new Dartmouth study projects a 52% increase in extreme precipitation events in the Northeast by the end of the century. The region is expected to experience more frequent heavy rainfall events, with winter and spring contributing most to this projected increase.
Researchers found that female arctic ground squirrels are emerging from hibernation earlier every year due to warmer temperatures, potentially leading to healthier litters and higher survival rates. This change is accompanied by differences in male hibernation patterns, which may have negative consequences for the food web.
Researchers found that tree coverage and high-albedo pavement significantly reduced mean radiant temperatures, improving thermal comfort levels in urban areas. The study suggests incorporating trees and pavement design elements into city planning to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Only 13% of global methane emissions are regulated, despite causing at least 25% of current global warming. The lack of regulation and clarity must be urgently addressed to meet global climate targets, with a consistent approach worldwide needed to drastically reduce global warming levels.
A recent study analyzes national greenhouse gas emission inventories, revealing limited accuracy and transparency in low-and-middle-income countries. The review highlights the need for improved reporting methodologies to manage food security and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
A recent study reveals that certain climate-smart agricultural practices can lead to land use spillovers that cancel out their climate benefits. Cover cropping with rye is found to cause yield losses and negate most of its climate advantages.
A new study predicts that climate change will expose species to potentially dangerous temperatures, leading to an abrupt loss of habitat. The research found that up to 30% of species will be at risk of experiencing unfamiliarly hot temperatures across at least 30% of their geographic range in a single decade.
A new study found that climate change is causing the hottest days in North-West Europe to warm at double the rate of average summer days. The difference in trends is most pronounced for England, Wales, and Northern France.
An international team reconstructed groundwater evolution in the Great Basin, USA, combining calcite deposits and numerical models. The results show the elevation of the water table was three to four times more sensitive to recharge during dry climates.
Physicians are urging primary care teams to use data-driven approaches to prevent and mitigate climate-related health issues, dubbed "precision ecologic medicine". This approach combines patient-specific data with climate-related information to predict and support vulnerable patients.
The platform has enabled the transcription of over 4.7 million specimens, making a significant dent in the backlog of objects stored in museums without online information. The mission to catalog Earth's biodiversity has resulted in an inconceivably large number of specimens, with billions more collectively housed in smaller institutions.
A new study uses social media data to understand global air conditioning adoption patterns. It finds that middle-aged, educated males and parents of small children tend to express higher online interest in AC. This research aims to improve climate change adaptation measures by identifying sociodemographic groups at risk.
New research using social media advertising data provides insights into the adoption of air conditioning units worldwide, particularly in heat-vulnerable regions. The study found that middle-aged, highly educated, married males, and parents with small children are more likely to express online interest in AC units.
The seven worst years for polar ice sheet melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, with 2019 being the worst year on record. Global heating is driving up sea levels and coastal flooding around the world, with melting ice sheets accounting for a quarter of all sea level rise.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found Steenstrup Glacier in Greenland is retreating at an unprecedented rate, with a 5-mile retreat and quadrupled velocity between 2018 and 2021. The glacier's rapid change reveals that even long-term stable glaciers are susceptible to sudden and rapid retreat due to warming waters.
A new Dartmouth study examines how changes in precipitation and temperature due to global warming affect streamflow and flooding in the Northeast. The research finds that a warmer climate will lead to increased streamflow and higher flood risk, particularly if soils become wetter and more prone to heavy rainfall events.
Research finds extreme precipitation days will become more frequent, with up to 20-30% increase in moisture release. The LOCA2 climate projections cover the lower 48 US states, southern Canada, and northern Mexico, providing granular-level information for local planners.
A study by Carnegie Mellon researchers found that about 10% of US pipeline compressor stations are electric, making them vulnerable to electric outages. Electric outages could force a loss greater than 2 gigawatts of downstream gas generators, causing significant reductions in available gas.
A Dartmouth College study found that more than 500 home runs since 2010 can be attributed to higher-than-average temperatures due to climate change. Rising temperatures could account for 10% or more of home runs by 2100, with some stadiums experiencing significant spikes in home run totals.
A study by Chalmers University of Technology and Lund University shows that phasing out coal is necessary to limit global warming to 2 degrees. However, current commitments from countries are not sufficient, and China and India need to take rapid action within five years.
A study by GIST researchers found that Arctic warming is correlated with severe winters in East Asia and North America. The 'Warm Arctic-Cold Continent' phenomenon will persist but become more difficult to predict under warmer climates.
Researchers found that simultaneous learning of two tasks enhances a deep-learning model's performance on retrieving precipitation information from satellite data. The new framework uses multi-task learning to improve current estimates of precipitation, outperforming existing approaches.
Recent climate change has led to an expansion of marine predator ranges into Arctic waters, resulting in increased species richness and altered community compositions. The study found that apex predators such as whales and sharks have migrated northwards, while mesopredators like fish and crabs showed more limited range shifts.
Researchers at University of Illinois have recalibrated climate change effects on salamanders, showing a somewhat more hopeful future. The study found that incorporating microclimate data at fine spatial scales reduced predicted habitat loss by 55-80% compared to using free-air temperature data.
A new study predicts that Antarctic deep ocean currents will slow by over 40% in the next 30 years and may collapse, with significant impacts on climate and marine ecosystems. The decline of this circulation could stagnate the bottom of the oceans and trap nutrients, affecting marine life for centuries to come.
Researchers at NIST have developed a new method of digitally simulating hurricanes using AI techniques, accurately representing the trajectory and wind speeds of real storms. The simulations can help develop improved guidelines for building design in hurricane-prone regions.
The new dataset provides a 'ranking' of countries contributing most to global warming, with CO2 emissions driving the most warming. Countries like Brazil and Indonesia are rising in their contribution, while industrialised nations see slight declines.
A study published in PNAS found that climate change is destabilizing mouse lemur populations on Madagascar, increasing their risk of extinction despite high reproductive output. The data analysis revealed opposing trends of rising mortality and reproductive rates, which have prevented population collapse but accelerated the life cycle.
New research reveals methane traps heat in the atmosphere but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat. Methane absorbs both longwave and shortwave energy, leading to a slight cooling effect.
Researchers will develop new technology and tools to improve climate factor measurement by observing atoms in outer space. The team's goal is to enable unprecedented science measurements, such as sea level rise and ice melt rates.
A new study finds that tax interventions needed to combat climate change will need to be larger and more effective than previously thought. Improvements in energy efficiency technology are crucial, but technological adjustments take time.
A recent review study led by UT Austin examines the planet's freshwater supplies and strategies for sustainably managing them. The study emphasizes the importance of recognizing surface water and groundwater as a single resource to ensure future water resilience.
A new open-source tool called TILE2NET uses aerial imagery and image-recognition to create complete maps of sidewalks and crosswalks. The tool has been trained on 20,000 aerial images from Boston, Cambridge, New York City, and Washington, recognizing 90% or more of all sidewalks and crosswalks in these cities.
A study found that protected areas are unlikely to provide connectivity for species shifting ranges due to climate change, with two-thirds of the world's 30,000 protected areas expected to fail. Conservation strategies must prioritize effective use of protected areas to help species adapt to a warming planet.
A study analyzing over 300,000 European vegetation plots found that global climate gradients have relatively weak correlations with local plant community characteristics. The effects of climate change on plant species depend heavily on local factors such as soil conditions and microclimate.
Researchers found that a simple 19th century Secchi disk is effective in monitoring phytoplankton abundance, providing valuable long-term data on ocean changes. The tool's continued use supports scientists studying climate change, ecosystem health, and water quality.
A new MIT study reveals that smoke particles from Australian wildfires can trigger chemical reactions that erode the protective ozone layer. The research found a 3-5% depletion of total ozone at mid-latitudes and widened the Antarctic ozone hole by 10% in 2020.
A record-breaking heatwave in the Pacific Northwest in June 2021 was attributed to a strong high-pressure ridge, which intensified when an atmospheric river moved into Alaska, releasing massive amounts of moisture. The air was exceptionally hot when brought down to the surface due to its temperature aloft.
A new collaborative project led by the University of Liverpool aims to investigate the Gulf Stream's role in transporting nutrients and carbon, and its effect on the ocean's carbon uptake. The four-year programme will use cutting-edge sensors and models to better understand how the Gulf Stream influences climate change.
Stefano Pierini proposes a new paradigm to simplify the verification of the Milankovitch hypothesis, combining physics concepts to link orbital parameters and glacial cycles. The deterministic excitation paradigm correctly predicts the timing of recent glacial terminations, offering insights into climate predictability.