Climate
2026’s El Niño is record-breaking — and it’s not done yet
Within the ocean region where El Niños form, daily sea-surface temperatures are already more extreme than at any point in recorded history.
By Nikk Ogasa
Earth
More Stories in Earth
- Climate
A modern ‘snowball’ Earth? What the movies get wrong
Earth has experienced several ice ages. These can emerge almost overnight in films. Although dramatic, that timeline is truly Hollywood fiction.
- Oceans
Are major ocean currents moving to turn Earth into a snowball?
A key ocean current that warms Europe is weakening, which could lead to a big chill. Scientists are now discussing how we might avoid that.
- Animals
Watch an orca smash into a sunfish hard enough to make it explode
This tactic expands killer whales’ already broad range of behaviors for taking down prey.
- Animals
Spying on the secret lives of boobies
New high-tech tools let scientists “tag” along with these red-footed seabirds to solve the mystery of how boobies spend their days at sea.
- Earth
Let’s learn about humanmade seismic waves
Concerts and football games shake the ground. Other events, such as eclipses, can lead to a seismic hush.
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- Environment
Wildfires can be tracked by their distinctive rumble
New sensors can map infrasound — a deep-bass thrumming lower than what human ears can hear — emitted by a fire as its flames spread.
- Animals
Some sea stars channel light like fiber-optic cables
The tiny cone-shaped structures in arms of chocolate-chip sea stars also triple their skeleton’s strength.
- Oceans
Meet the world’s biggest waves — and the mysteries behind them
These towering walls of water carry a lot of energy. Scientists are investigating what gives rise to such behemoths and their destructive power.
