Climate
A new map traces the sky’s water highways
Atmospheric rivers bring heavy rain and floods, but if they don’t come around, it could mean drought. A new global map reveals little-known pathways.
Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
More Stories in Earth
- Agriculture
Scientists say Beefalo are all beef, no -alo. Breeders disagree
A whole-genome analysis of Beefalo, a hybrid bison-cattle breed, suggests very few individuals have any bison DNA at all, a new study reports.
- Plants
Giant trees have tricks to work around drought
Samples collected at daring heights provide evidence for an untested theory of tree drought adaptation, while countering another.
- Animals
The animal behind most aggressive wildlife encounters may surprise you
Analysis of 3,000 incidents in Canada reveals which animal–human activity combos are especially risky. Of note: Elk and campgrounds are a bad mix.
- Microbes
New science on algae die-offs is too late for the Reflecting Pool
Iron and hydrogen peroxide trigger cell death via ferroptosis, which cascades killer molecules through the population, causing mass die-offs of algae.
- Earth
A tropical permafrost layer in Peru may be one of the world’s largest
Vast permafrost beneath the upper slopes of Peru’s tallest volcano could become a regional water source as glaciers in the Andes retreat.
- Earth
A 2011 earthquake bounced a seismic wave off Earth’s core, nudging Japan east
The wave's round trip to Earth's core set off a fault slip along Japan's plate boundaries, revealing a seismic hazard scientists hadn't recognized.
- Climate
A ‘Super El Niño’ may be on the way. What does that mean?
Past super El Niños have brought bad flooding, deadly fires and disease outbreaks. Climate experts already expect “shockingly high” temps this winter.
- Climate
The North Atlantic’s ‘cold blob’ may signal a major current’s decline
A cold blob of water in the North Atlantic points to a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, researchers report.
- Space
Otherworldly music albums feature space weather data
A science-art team uses research data to make music featuring sounds of Antarctica and outer space
