Earth/Environment

A new explanation of cold northeast winters, plus shrinking newborns and the Russian heat wave in this week’s news

A winter’s day
Scientists have found another reason why the northeastern parts of Asia and North America are so chilly in the winter, much colder than the same latitudes in Europe. Until now, researchers have blamed this observation on the interaction of weather systems and mountain ranges, and on the lack of a nearby ocean that could warm things via westerly winds.