Earth

A new study has revealed that glaciers and ice caps in Greenland have experienced widespread mass loss since the beginning of the 20th century. The research provides critical insights into long-term changes to the glaciers and ice caps as a result of climate change, which has contributed to about one fifth of global sea-level rise

Flash droughts have devastating effects on agriculture and are becoming increasingly common as the planet warms. These droughts develop quickly and can cause irreparable damage to a region’s agriculture. In a new study published in Communications Earth & Environment on May 25, 2023, it has been found that the risk of flash droughts is expected

NASA has launched the final two satellites in a quartet designed to track tropical cyclones every hour. The TROPICS constellation of satellites, which are the size of shoeboxes, were sent into orbit on a rocket built by US company Rocket Lab and launched from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. This project has the potential to significantly

Tiny particles, which are harmful anthropogenic pollutants, come from factory stacks, car exhaust pipes, and cruise liner engines. These particles settle in the small vessels of our lungs when we breathe in air and make us sick. Air pollution has been known for many years to be harmful to human health. For instance, American researchers

A new study conducted by Neil J. Lant and his team at Procter & Gamble’s Newcastle Innovation Center suggests that condenser dryers, while reducing airborne microfibers compared to vented dryers, are significant contributors to waterborne microfiber pollution. The study found that both dryer types produce microfiber pollution, including water pollution from rinsing lint traps in

A new assessment published in the journal Science reveals that more than half of the world’s largest lakes are losing water due to the warming climate and unsustainable human consumption. The lead author of the study, Fangfang Yao, a climate fellow at the University of Virginia, emphasizes that the news is not entirely bleak. With

Recent research has discovered that approximately 700,000 years ago, a “warm ice age” had a permanent effect on the climate cycles on Earth. During this warm and moist period, the polar glaciers expanded. A European research team, including Earth scientists from Heidelberg University, used geological data in combination with computer simulations to identify this unexpected

Around 13,000 years ago, the Younger Dryas, a climate crisis, caused a significant drop in temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, leading to severe aridity in the Mediterranean basin, which had a significant impact on terrestrial and marine ecosystems. However, what is less well-known is the impact of this climate change on water circulation in the

New research from the University of Canterbury School of Mathematics and Statistics in New Zealand has found that seismic signals can be used to track pyroclastic flows, which are the most deadly volcanic hazard in the world. These flows result from volcanic eruptions and can travel at speeds of up to 500 kmh (310 mph).

The Brazilian rainforest is known for its clean air, but this is only true during the wet season when particulate matter is at a minimum. During the dry season, which is when deforestation fires occur, air quality is significantly reduced due to soot and other emissions. The concentration of soot particles in the atmosphere above

As the planet continues to grow warmer, a team of atmospheric scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology and the University of California have found that the number of atmospheric rivers (ARs) associated with flooding in India has been rising. In their study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the group describes how

A recent study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has found that atmospheric rivers are a crucial element in the complex conditions that are leading to the acceleration of glacial melting in northern Greenland. Atmospheric rivers are long, concentrated flows of moisture in the sky that can stretch thousands of kilometers. They are an essential part

With the recent increase in extreme weather events both in New Zealand and globally, a new study published in Nature Geoscience aims to improve the prediction of heavy rainfall and provide earlier warnings to the public. Cameron McErlich, a Ph.D. student at the University of Canterbury, used models and satellite observations to examine daily rainfall.

Scientists from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, leading an international team, have discovered aerosols from the Hunga Tonga eruption in the stratospheric westerlies of the Northern Hemisphere for the first time. The discovery, published in Science Bulletin, will help scientists to simulate the physical and chemical processes in

Researchers from Oregon State University have led a study that reveals the impact of dust on the world’s oceans. Phytoplankton, which are found in the upper part of the ocean and are the foundation of the marine food web, rely on dust from land-based sources for key nutrients. However, the extent that this dust, from