Articles tagged with Climatology
A study found that state-level food waste bans have largely failed to reduce landfilled waste across the US, with Massachusetts being the lone success. Massachusetts implemented a well-designed and enforced policy, resulting in a significant reduction of 13.2% in waste disposal.
A new study shows that urban forests within walkable distance from residential areas are crucial in reducing heat-related health risks. Researchers found that nearby forests have a pronounced impact on reducing mortality risks, particularly those within 1 kilometre of residential areas.
Researchers harvested climate-smart soybeans in a $5 million USDA project aiming to reduce GHG emissions while increasing crop production. The crop was grown using five climate-smart practices, including earlier planting and soil conservation.
A Dartmouth-led study projects that Antarctica's glaciers will rapidly retreat and potentially collapse by 2200, increasing global sea levels by up to 5.5 feet by 2300. The researchers used 16 ice-sheet models to refine the projection of ice loss over the next 300 years.
Deforestation leads to decreased cloud cover, which partially offsets surface albedo change's cooling effect on climate. Researchers analyzed idealized deforestation simulations using climate models to provide insights into the impact of large-scale deforestation on global low-level and tropical high-level clouds.
A global study published in PNAS found that most cities (over 60%) receive more rainfall than their surrounding rural areas, leading to worsened flash flooding. This is due to the convergence of air toward city centers caused by tall buildings and population density.
A worldwide survey by Goethe University Frankfurt found that students in environmental studies are unaware of the main causes of biodiversity loss. The study identified eight response types with varying levels of understanding, with climate change being underestimated in many countries. The researchers suggest that this lack of knowled...
A study found that children as young as six can contribute to group projects when there are clear and common goals. The researchers used a game where children worked together to fill a pool with water, with benefits for the whole group but individual costs. The results showed that most groups achieved their objectives and cooperated, e...
A new vaccine created by Mizzou researchers protects cattle from bovine anaplasmosis, a devastating tick-borne disease causing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses. The vaccine has been proven to give immunized cattle protection for at least a month and is being discussed with industry partners for future distribution.
New research finds women make up 50% of post-harvest fisheries and aquaculture workforce, yet often remain invisible, unpaid or underpaid. The study calls for policy changes to address social justice dimensions of technology development.
A new study analyzing 199 cities worldwide reveals that adaptation efforts are mostly inadequate, with most measures focusing on sea level rise and flooding. The researchers emphasize the need for more comprehensive approaches considering socioeconomic factors and future trends in societal vulnerability.
The American Meteorological Society recognizes outstanding contributions to the weather, water, and climate community with its 2025 Awards and Honors. This year's honorees have made significant impacts on scientific advancement and public safety, including warnings of wildfires and refinements in modeling techniques.
A new study has reconstructed virus DNA from glacial ice cores, revealing nearly 1,700 viral species with adaptations that influenced their hosts' survival in extreme conditions. The findings suggest a connection between viruses and climate change, shedding light on the impact of global temperature shifts.
A new study led by Dartmouth researchers questions the rapid polar ice collapse model used in the IPCC's sixth assessment report. The team found that the expected rate of retreat is significantly lower than predicted, making the worst-case scenario less likely, but still dire due to ongoing ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica.
A new study from the University of Auckland finds that mandating social and environmental disclosures doesn't necessarily improve businesses' performance. The researchers analyzed a cross-country sample of companies under the EU Directive 2014/95/EU and found no meaningful improvement in environmental outcomes.
A pioneering study found that factories globally are not properly destroying emissions of a super-greenhouse gas emitted from the production of fluoropolymers like Teflon and refrigerants. The researchers used a novel technique to measure actual emissions, revealing a discrepancy between reported and real levels.
A new study by Kyoto University reveals that major companies relying on low-quality offsets undermine the effectiveness of the voluntary carbon market. The research finds that these companies collectively account for over one-fifth of all retired offsets, most of which fail to meet well-known quality standards.
A University of Central Florida researcher has developed a nature-inspired filtration and conversion system that extracts carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere to create fuels and chemicals. The device mimics the lotus surface, capturing carbon dioxide with a microsurface comprised of a tin oxide film and fluorine layer.
Researchers have developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating (FWF) that enables gram-scale production of high-quality solid-state materials in seconds, reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions by over 50%. The technique offers a scalable and sustainable solution for manufacturing diverse compounds.
Researchers at Arizona State University have introduced a new sterilization technique using X-ray irradiation to reduce Aspergillus flavus viability in contaminated corn. The method stops the fungus from transmitting spores and producing aflatoxins, crucial for developing additional remediation techniques.
A new study found that surf breaks surrounding the world's oceans store nearly 90 million metric tonnes of planet-warming carbon, highlighting their crucial role in combating climate change. The top five countries with the highest stored carbon are the US, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, and Panama.
The State of Wildfires report found that carbon emissions from wildfires globally were 16% above average, with Canada and Amazonia experiencing unusually high numbers of fires. Climate change increased the likelihood of extreme wildfires in these regions by at least three times and up to six times.
A WVU team investigates how different management practices affect Appalachian forest life and carbon sequestration capabilities. Preliminary data reveals changes in species distribution and ecosystem resilience to climate change.
A study by ETH Zurich scientists found that global warming's effects on plant recovery can last for thousands to millions of years. The research team discovered that the severity of climate shifts and the speed at which carbon is sequestered affect the duration of climate warming.
A Dutch survey study found that higher satisfaction with home office setup, including air ventilation, is associated with higher productivity and lower burnout. The study suggests that investing in home-office hardware and environmental factors can support work-from-home policies.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that repetition of climate-skeptical statements increased their perceived truth among climate science endorsers, including those who self-identified as 'Alarmed' by climate change. This effect holds true even for the strongest believers in climate science.
Demographic experts urge UN to reject current 'growth' paradigm and focus on contracting human impact to reverse ecological overshoot. The Journal of Population and Sustainability cites research linking population growth to climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and social crises.
Scientists have developed a state-of-the-art computational model predicting land, ice and global sea-level interactions. The model estimates that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could slow melting Antarctic ice enough to allow Earth uplift to partially stabilize the ice sheet and prevent some future sea-level rise.
Researchers call for coordinated action to address air pollution's complexity, including elevating policy ambition, expanding regulatory scope, and integrating scientific policymaking. The paper highlights urgent need for clean air globally as health harms arise from lower concentrations.
MIT researchers detected a clear signal of human influence on upper tropospheric ozone trends, separate from climate noise. The study provides insights into specific human activities driving this trend.
Scientists argue that solar farms in the UK have great potential to restore degraded habitats and meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. However, unless policies change, potential biodiversity benefits could be squandered.
Scientists analyzed rock samples from four Andes Mountains glaciers, finding they are smaller now than any time in the past 11,000 years. This suggests the tropics have already warmed beyond predicted limits, crossing a critical benchmark for glacier classification.
A new study published by Texas A&M University researchers found that the Hunga Tonga volcano eruption did not contribute to global warming as initially thought. Instead, the eruption resulted in more energy leaving the climate system than entering it, leading to a slight cooling effect.
A study by KIT researchers provides urban planners with a template for designing microgrids that integrate socio-economic factors and societal participation. The model aims to create equitable access to energy and services for all population groups, particularly vulnerable ones, in the face of power outages and crises.
A new junior professorship in Earth System Science at Mainz University, sponsored by the Volkswagen Foundation, will establish a specialized lab for paleoclimate research. The lab will analyze high-resolution sediments formed thousands to millions of years ago to reconstruct past climates, including seasonal patterns.
Researchers found a 56% reduction in average daily NO2 concentrations in homes with electric induction stoves compared to gas stoves. Participants reported improved health and quality of life, citing reduced anxiety about fires due to gas leaks.
Researchers found that sea ice's cooling power decreased by about twice as much as the decrease in annual average sea ice area since 1980. The Arctic has seen the largest declines in sea ice cooling power, while the Antarctic's cooling power has also weakened since 2016.
A research team finds that local community members are indispensable partners in enhancing community engagement in repairing damaged ecosystems. Local values and attitudes play a crucial role in promoting sustainable ecosystem management practices.
A new study led by Okayama University investigates the influence of precipitation radiative effects (REP) on climate models. It found that REP affects global and regional hydrological cycles, altering atmospheric circulation and surface temperatures, particularly in polar regions.
A 1,500 year long sediment core off the Nile mouth recorded past floods with varying amounts of fluvial particulate matter. The analysis suggests that the North African Humid Period was characterized by extremely strong and variable Nile floods, with a period of strong erosional activity between 9,200 and 8,600 years ago.
Researchers from Kyushu University found that early-onset El Niño leads to warm winters in East Asia due to anomalous warming of the tropical Indian Ocean. Late-onset El Niño, on the other hand, results in colder winters. This study aimed to improve climate modeling and prediction during El Niño events.
A recent study by Maynooth University has found that extreme temperatures in Ireland have increased significantly over the past few decades. The research reveals that temperature events of 33 degrees Celsius have become a regular occurrence, with some areas experiencing them every 9 years, up from once every 180 years in 1942.
A new study reveals the Jøtul hydrothermal field in the Arctic Ocean, which is rich in minerals and metals. The discovery of high concentrations of methane indicates a significant interaction with magma, contributing to ocean acidification and climate change.
A study predicts that tropical rains will shift northward in the coming decades, impacting regions such as central Africa, northern South America, and Pacific island states. The shift is caused by changes in the atmosphere spurred by carbon emissions, which would have significant effects on agriculture and economies.
A new conceptual model, XRO, significantly improves predictive skill of ENSO events at over one year in advance, offering a transparent view into the mechanisms of equatorial Pacific recharge-discharge physics. This improves conventional climate model forecasting and provides robust quantification of extratropical Pacific, tropical Ind...
A new study projects that global groundwater temperatures will rise by 2.1-3.5°C by 2100, impacting 77-588 million people's access to safe drinking water. Rising temperatures can also lead to increased concentrations of harmful substances and affect ecosystems.
A study found a strong association between media diet and science-consistent beliefs about climate change, with far-right media having a stronger negative impact on climate change beliefs and support for a carbon tax. Exposure to centrist and science media was positively associated with these beliefs.
Recent research from the Medicinal Plant Research Center of South China Agricultural University reveals that rhizospheric and endophytic microorganisms significantly influence the accumulation of key SMs in medicinal plants. These microorganisms encode genes related to nitrogen fixation, phosphate metabolism, hormone synthesis, and roo...
Researchers use nanomedicine and digital twin technologies to develop Plant Nanobiotechnology, addressing agricultural challenges and increasing crop yield. Digital twins of plants enable the design of nanocarriers that target nutrient delivery to specific plant organs.
A study by MIT scientists found that microscopic defects in the ice shape how massive glaciers flow, leading to revised predictions of future sea-level rise. The researchers developed a model to estimate an icy region's sensitivity to stress, directly relating it to its likelihood of flowing.
A new method discovered by researchers has the potential to reduce agricultural nitrous oxide emissions in Europe by one-third. The solution involves growing special bacteria that can convert harmful nitrous oxide into harmless nitrogen gas, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at Linköping University assess Stockholm's climate strategy, finding a reliance on carbon capture technology without sufficient discussion of its risks. They recommend setting separate targets for emissions reduction and capturing CO2 to ensure clearer decision-making.
A USC study finds that rising sea levels and urban development are accelerating coastal erosion in Southern California, with predicted costs tripling by 2050. Beach nourishment projects will become increasingly costly due to the global increase in sand prices.
Climate change has led to decreased pollen production from plants, resulting in less diversity among pollinators, which could significantly impact food production. The study, conducted in the Great Basin region, examines how shifts in flowering times and extreme weather events affect pollinator availability.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science have developed an enzyme that converts ferulic acid from plant waste into vanillin, a classic flavor compound. The engineered enzyme exhibits high conversion activity and affinities, making it suitable for large-scale commercial production.
Researchers measured fossil shells' chemical composition to reconstruct Pliocene climate temperatures, finding summers warmed by 4.3 degrees compared to winters
Researchers at Kyushu University analyzed the carbon footprint of building a wooden house in Japan, estimating 38 tons of CO2 emissions. The team identified electric power sector and steel manufacturing process as major contributors to total emissions.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen discovered that a biological mechanism called autophagy plays a key role in plant root growth. By understanding how plants control their root growth, scientists can develop climate-resilient crops to thrive in harsh conditions.
Researchers found that weaker ocean currents during the Younger Dryas period led to a decline in nutrient availability, resulting in decreased biological productivity in the North Atlantic. This study supports predictions about the impact of climate change on ocean circulation and life.
Pacific Oysters experienced a significant increase in density, reaching up to 32-fold, concurrent with summer seawater temperature rises of 2-4°C. This trend coincides with warmer ocean conditions in California waters.