Research on measuring and modeling the climate. Covers climate extremes, carbon sequestration, monitoring methods, and urban heat exposure.
A study found that increasing wine grape cultivar diversity can reduce agricultural losses from global warming, with a 4 °C warming scenario expected to still cause significant declines in vulnerable regions. The research suggests that 85% of all identified wine-growing regions would be lost if cultivar turnover did not occur.
A new UBC study finds that swapping out grapes for more drought and heat-tolerant varieties can ease the transition to a warmer world, with up to 51% of current winegrowing regions potentially lost to climate change. Diversification may limit losses to 24%, with specific regions like Burgundy and Bordeaux adapting to new varieties.
Despite reports of near elimination, global HFC-23 emissions are growing at record values, contradicting expectations. Scientists attribute the rise to increased production in developing countries.
A new, high-resolution climate change dataset has been validated and described, providing valuable data for smallholder farmers and policymakers to devise adaptation strategies. The dataset includes 436 scenarios of future climate conditions at scales as small as 1 kilometer.
A team of researchers from Binghamton University and Emerson College analyzed data from 14,000 years ago and found that Native Americans did not make large-scale changes to the environment. The study suggests that ancient native people thrived under changing forest conditions by adapting to them, rather than intensively managing the land.
NASA scientists used data from Suomi NPP to track Australian bushfire smoke globally, revealing its circumnavigation of the Earth. The satellite's Aerosol Index layer helps identify and track aerosols produced by wildfires, dust storms, and other events.
A group of scientists has conducted a new analysis that concludes the 'weather-is-not-climate' paradigm is no longer applicable. They found that daily weather data can reveal long-term warming trends, provided global spatial patterns are considered.
Research finds water samples insufficient for detecting EPTO groups and other macroinvertebrates, bulk benthos sampling provides richer taxonomic recovery. Bulk-benthos samples show stronger association with EPTO families than water samples.
A new approach developed by University of Delaware researchers uses machine learning to predict soil moisture conditions in smaller areas with greater detail than standard models. This improves regional and global analysis while providing more accurate predictions even without existing data.
A new study from Ohio State University reveals that time-of-use electricity rates increase costs for households headed by people with disabilities and the elderly, compromising their health. The research highlights the need to test and design time-of-use rates to avoid increasing hardship for vulnerable energy users.
Research analyzing nocturnal bird migration found spring migrants arriving earlier than in previous years due to warming temperatures. This shift in migration timing may have negative consequences for migratory birds, as they rely on food and resources that are out of sync with their passage.
A University of Maryland-led study found that climate cycles and insect pests drive caribou migration timing. Caribou herds across North America synchronize their migrations at roughly the same time due to ocean-driven climate cycles, but arrival times depend on previous summer's weather conditions.
A 79-year study confirms that increased coniferous forests are the primary cause of water browning in lakes and rivers. Organic soil leaching into lakes and streams also contributes to this process.
A multi-wavelength lidar provides data on fine dust in the central Arctic during polar night, revealing several layers of dust from human sources and forest fires. The data indicate that the upper atmosphere is more polluted in winter than previously assumed.
Climate variability between 1996 and 2017 caused a significant decrease in county-level fishing employment in New England, with an estimated 16% decline. The study highlights the regional impact of climate change on fisheries and suggests that climate may influence fishing employment.
A new machine learning tool can analyze massive amounts of satellite data to detect significant features for space weather. The algorithm identifies patterns that humans may miss, enabling faster and more accurate forecasts.
A recent study found that Finnish rivers are transporting 280,000 tonnes more carbon to the Baltic Sea each year than in the early 1990s. The increase is primarily attributed to climate change and its effects on precipitation and temperature.
A research team developed an algorithmic approach to automatically recognize uninformative words, known as stop words, in large collections of text. The framework uses information theory to quantify a word's certainty of being informative, producing improved accuracy and reproducibility across texts.
The EuroSea project is an international consortium of 55 partners aiming to improve ocean observation in Europe and beyond. The project focuses on combining existing capacities, filling gaps, and making data available to users more easily.
Researchers at Concordia University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University have identified five types of pipeline failures: mechanical, operational, natural hazard, third-party, and corrosion. They propose using big data to predict failure patterns and improve safety assessments.
A study on valley oak found that populations grow faster at cooler temperatures, suggesting the need for new conservation methods to mitigate warming temperature effects. Selecting seed sources based on genotype may alleviate declining growth rates.
A study found that climate change impacts Arctic Terns' behavior and distribution in Antarctica, affecting their main food source of krill and habitat. The birds converged on the Shackleton Ice Shelf during a period of reduced krill abundance, highlighting the vulnerability of the species to climate change.
A team of researchers from EPFL and MIT used mobile phone location data to study the spread of dengue fever in Singapore. Their findings showed that even low levels of mobility can cause an epidemic to spread, emphasizing the need for effective spatial distribution models.
Scientists at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ developed an approach using recent satellite data to estimate Amazon forest biomass with greater precision. This enables more accurate assessments of the consequences of droughts and forest fires on the Amazon.
A Yale professor and his team discovered an abrupt 60-year megadrought that led to the collapse of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The drought weakened the empire's agricultural base, allowing neighboring forces like the Babylonians to conquer Nineveh in three months.
Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München have developed a new workflow for producing formaldehyde that increases yields by a factor of five, making it more efficient and sustainable than traditional methods. This breakthrough could significantly contribute to climate mitigation, with annual global production exceeding 20 m...
A new study suggests that climate change played a role in the collapse of the Neo-Assyrian Empire by exacerbating agricultural productivity declines. The research used high-resolution paleoclimate records from northern Iraq to show that a megadrought may have encouraged invading armies and led to political unrest.
Researchers found that satellite data sets are reliable substitutes for reproducing water vapor features over the Tibetan Plateau, while reanalysis data sets have varying quality depending on time scales considered. A skill-weighted ensemble mean of reanalysis data shows promise for future studies.
Researchers at EPFL developed a simple and inexpensive AI-based system to predict where and when lightning will strike, using standard meteorological data. The method has been proven correct almost 80% of the time and offers a new way to predict complex phenomena like lightning strikes.
Research suggests that family emotional climate has a significant effect on overall health, including the development or worsening of chronic conditions. In contrast, intimate partner relationships showed no significant associations with later health outcomes.
This study uses mobile phone network data to estimate the current nationwide human welfare of coastal recreation in Japan. The projected economic values drop significantly under climate change scenarios, with some dropping below one-tenth of their current values.
A new study from the UBC Sauder School of Business reveals that homes projected to be underwater due to climate change sell for roughly 7% more than comparable homes in areas where people don't believe in climate change. The difference is significant, with implications for real estate investors and homeowners.
Claudio Silva was inducted into the inaugural cohort of the IEEE Visualization Academy for his seminal contributions to point-based modeling and surface reconstruction. He is a highly respected researcher with numerous publications and patents, including those related to VisTrails and urban data visualization.
Strong winter dust storms and a prolonged cold winter season likely contributed to the collapse of the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia. The empire's settlements were suddenly abandoned around 4,200 years ago due to agricultural failures and social instability caused by frequent shamals and dry spells.
A Dartmouth study found that a global cooling phenomenon, known as the US 'warming hole', has increased corn yields in the Corn Belt region by 5-10% per year. The cooler temperatures and increased rainfall allowed corn to mature slower, reducing heat stress and increasing grain accumulation.
A team at NYU Tandon created a system that lets people use simple English to create complex machine learning-driven visualizations using VisFlow and FlowSense. These frameworks make non-expert users more comfortable with data modeling while providing shortcuts for experienced users.
A new analysis reveals that global biodiversity is undergoing a large-scale reorganization, with the greatest loss of species in tropical marine biomes. The study, published in Science, suggests that conservation efforts should be tailored to local contexts and locations.
A four-year study in Colombia's maize-growing region shows that combining farmers' knowledge with data on weather and soils can increase yields substantially. Machine learning algorithms helped develop site-specific guidelines for crop management, reducing fertilizer costs and stabilizing yields.
A new global database, Forest Observation System (FOS), has been established to share on-site forest aboveground biomass data. This initiative aims to link ecological and remote sensing communities and overcome existing data sharing barriers, providing critical input for climate change mitigation policies.
A recent study analyzed FEMA-funded voluntary property buyouts, finding they tend to target poorer neighborhoods in wealthier counties. The researchers emphasize the need for increased transparency in reporting to fully evaluate program efficacy.
New research from North Carolina State University and Oregon State University predicts a decline in recreational fishing participation due to climate change, with temperature extremes having the greatest impact. The study forecasts a 2.6% decline by 2080 under stringent mitigation efforts, but warns of a 15% drop if no action is taken.
Researchers analyze data on international emergency events between 1960 and 2015, revealing growing hazards posed by severe events linked to climate change. Economic damages rise sharply worldwide, including in temperate areas, as death tolls from extreme temperature events increase in poor and rich countries.
Researchers have developed a new quantitative measure of phenological status called the 'phenological index' to improve scoring of developmental stage in herbarium specimens. This approach allows for more accurate predictions of ecosystem responses to climate change.
A national team of researchers, led by Xu Liang from the University of Pittsburgh, has received a $1.3 million grant to create CyberWater, an open framework that integrates diverse data sets and models for investigating water resources and climate-related environmental issues.
Researchers developed a more efficient statistical model to analyze extreme weather events globally, identifying regions with high precipitation levels and predicting their frequency. The model can handle vast amounts of data from multiple locations, providing valuable insights for disaster planning.
A new satellite mission, SWOT, will enhance flood modeling globally, even in extensively studied regions. It will provide more accurate floodplain maps and predictions for areas affected by snowmelt, hurricanes, and ice jam breakup.
A new AI tool will predict near-term crop productivity for African farmers, providing insights into drought tolerance and suitable crops. The app, developed by Penn State researchers, aims to help farmers adapt to climate change through behavioral changes and best practices.
A Japanese research team found that incorporating radiosonde data from Antarctica improves forecasting accuracy for severe cyclones. The study successfully predicted the central pressure, wind speed, and moisture transport of an extreme cyclonic event 2.5 days in advance.
Scientists have discovered a distinct climatic signature on rivers globally, with varying elevational profiles shaped by regional aridity levels. In humid regions, rivers exhibit concave-up shapes, while drier regions feature straighter profiles.
A novel drone-based chemical monitoring system tracks volatile organic compounds emitted by plants, revealing the health of Amazon forests and their response to climate change. The research found significant differences in VOC signals between various forest sub-types, contradicting previous assumptions about their emissions.
A study predicts that global warming may reduce the availability of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a crucial brain-building nutrient. The authors found that 96% of the global population may not have sufficient access to DHA by 2100, particularly in countries with large fish production and relatively low populations.
Researchers studying the Ross Ice Shelf's paleo-pinning points aim to understand how and why it unpinned from Ross Bank. The study focuses on a crucial 30-year period, with data collection set for January 2021 in Antarctic waters.
Researchers found that phosphate levels in the surface ocean are less abundant than previously thought, using high-sensitivity measurements. This new data improves ocean models' ability to predict climate change impacts on oceans and their ecosystems.
Cities with high rainfall can achieve cooler temperatures through targeted planting, while extremely dry regions benefit from increased wind circulation and shade. The study provides a preliminary classification of cities for urban heat island mitigation, highlighting the importance of regional climate characteristics.
The Lake Ohrid drilling project has provided a unique window into the region's climate history, revealing significant increases in winter precipitation and shedding light on the causes of rain phases. The findings offer valuable data for assessing the effects of climate change and comparing with models.
Researchers have digitized vintage film showing Thwaites Glacier's ice shelf is being thawed by a warming ocean more quickly than expected. This finding contributes to predictions for sea-level rise that would impact coastal communities worldwide.
The European Commission has approved €14 million in funding for the preparation of the European Long-Term Ecosystem Research Infrastructure, enabling significant development of the eLTER Research Infrastructure. The project will involve 34 partners from 24 countries and cover all biogeographical zones in Europe.
Researchers found evidence of earlier Arctic sea-ice decline starting at the beginning of the 20th century using a new proxy from coralline algae. The study provides insight into past sea-ice variability and may help reduce uncertainties in ocean model simulations.
Scientists have developed a new method to overcome the limitations of astronomical time scales, allowing for the dating of geologic archives to be extended by about 8 million years. The study reveals that solar system chaos played a significant role in shaping Earth's climate during this period.
Researchers found that climate change has a net zero effect on Svalbard barnacle goose populations, with benefits from warmer springs offset by increased predation. Warmer winters also led to increased egg production and gosling survival, benefiting both geese and predators like Arctic foxes.