Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Climate
Skimpy sea ice linked to reindeer starvation on land
Unseasonably scant sea ice may feed rain storms inland that lead to ice catastrophes that kill Yamal reindeer and threaten herders’ way of life.
- Climate
There’s something cool about Arctic bird poop
Ammonia from seabird poop helps brighten clouds in the Arctic, slightly cooling the region’s climate.
- Climate
CO2 emissions stay steady for third consecutive year
Global emissions of carbon dioxide from human activities will probably see almost no increase in 2016 despite economic growth.
- Climate
Say hola to La Niña
La Niña, El Niño’s meteorological sister, has officially taken over and could alter weather patterns throughout the world this winter.
- Environment
Ocean plastic emits chemical that may trick seabirds into eating trash
Some seabirds might be eating plastic because it emits a chemical that smells like food.
- Environment
Ocean plastic emits chemical that tricks seabirds into eating trash
Some seabirds might be eating plastic because it emits a chemical that smells like food.
- Climate
If you thought 2015 was hot, just wait
The record-setting global temperatures seen in 2015 could be the “new normal” as soon as the 2020s.
- Climate
CO2-loving plants can counter human emissions
Plants temporarily halted the acceleration of rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, new research suggests.
- Climate
Human CO2 emissions put Arctic on track to be ice-free by 2050
Sea ice is shrinking by about three square meters for each metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted, new research suggests.
- Earth
Mount St. Helens is a cold-hearted volcano
Geophysics reveals that deep beneath Mount St. Helens, there’s no source of hot magma, just a wedge of cold serpentinite rock. Where is the missing heat?
- Earth
The southern San Andreas has a smaller, neighboring fault to its west
The newly-discovered Salton Trough Fault runs parallel to the southern San Andreas Fault in California, potentially affecting the region’s earthquake risk.
- Earth
‘A Most Improbable Journey’ offers scientific take on human history
Walter Alvarez’s “A Most Improbable Journey” gives readers a tour of “Big History,” linking human history to unpredictable cosmic, geologic and biological events.
