Climate
- Earth
Explainer: Understanding ice ages
Earth slowly wobbles, tilts and stretches (or contracts) as it orbits the sun. These changes may be fairly small and subtle. Still, their cumulative impacts can be huge — sometimes triggering the slow onset of an ice age or an abrupt thaw.
- Animals
Sharks’ super sniffers at risk
Rising ocean acidity could rob sharks of their ability to sniff out dinner, marine biologists find.
- Climate
Where will lightning strike?
When lightning strikes, the results can be deadly. But nature’s dazzling light show also can provide scientists with insights into when and where the next thunderbolt might strike.
- Agriculture
Your food choices affect Earth’s climate
Producing food can put a lot of climate-warming pollutants into the atmosphere. But some foods, especially meats, contribute more than others.
- Climate
This umbrella ‘listens’ to rain — for science
Scientists have developed an umbrella that ‘listens’ to falling raindrops. One day, a fleet of such simple rain gauges may help scientists better map weather patterns and changes in Earth’s water supplies.
- Climate
Arctic sends weird weather south
Arctic warming is affecting weather farther south, where most of the world lives. The impacts are especially worrisome for agriculture.
- Environment
‘Greener’ energy needed now, group warns
To avoid a looming environmental crisis brought on by global warming, people need to rely more on renewable energy sources. And fast. Without quick action, the world may face a harsh future, warns the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
- Animals
When a species can’t stand the heat
When temperatures rise, New Zealand’s tuatara produce more males. With global warming, that could leave the ancient reptile species with too few females to avoid going extinct.
- Animals
Kangaroos have ‘green’ farts
The farts and belches of these animals contain less methane than do those from other big grass grazers. Microbes in their digestive tract appear to explain the ‘roos lower production of this greenhouse gas, a new study finds.
- Microbes
Arctic thaw is spreading wildlife diseases
Polar animals are encountering new, killer parasites as melting ice unlocks their access to new hosts.
- Environment
Does lightning sculpt mountains?
A new study sparks debate about how much rubble on a mountainside has been blasted loose by powerful bolts from the sky.
- Climate
Mapping our carbon footprints
Population density can determine how much of an impact modern communities have on the climate.
