A recent modeling study conducted by researchers at UCL reveals that the warming in the Arctic is occurring nearly four times faster than the global average rate. This faster warming trend in the Arctic is projected to result in a global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius happening eight years earlier than if the region
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The decline of phytoplankton in the North Atlantic, which was previously reported, may require a reevaluation. A study conducted in 2019 suggested a 10% decline in marine productivity based on ice core samples from Antarctica, raising concerns about the continuation of this trend. However, the University of Washington has led new research that challenges this
The acidification of the oceans caused by human activity is already making a considerable impact on marine plankton shells in the Mediterranean Sea. A recent study conducted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) has shed light on the negative consequences of ocean acidification, specifically the decrease
Boreal forests play a crucial role in carbon storage, making them of global importance. However, new research suggests that lightning, fueled by climate change, is becoming the dominant cause of wildfire ignition in these forests. Led by Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, in collaboration with other institutions, the study “Extratropical forests increasingly at risk of lightning
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have made a groundbreaking discovery in the production of methane by bacteria. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming. In the past, it was believed that methane was mostly produced by microorganisms in oxygen-deprived environments. However, researchers have now
Africa is facing a severe air pollution crisis, with cities in the region being among the most polluted in the world. Over the past 50 years, air quality in African nations has deteriorated rapidly, reaching levels that exceed the recommendations set by the World Health Organization. As populations continue to grow and industrialization accelerates, the
Climate simulations and climate traces from the past are often at odds with each other, leading to discrepancies in understanding climate changes. A team of researchers led by physicist Thomas Laepple and climatologist Kira Rehfeld sought to address this issue by examining the causes and consequences of these discrepancies. The surprising findings, published in the
Plastic litter in rivers has long been a cause for concern, but a new study sheds light on an alarming consequence. Researchers have discovered that the presence of plastic, along with wooden sticks and the water itself, creates an optimal environment for the growth and spread of dangerous pathogens. The implications of this finding are
The distribution of salt by ocean currents plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate, according to a recent study published in Science Advances. Researchers from Dalhousie University, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the
Destructive winds originating from thunderstorms in the central United States have been steadily increasing in frequency and geographic scope, driven by the warming temperatures caused by climate change. A recent study conducted by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reveals that the central U.S. has witnessed a significant five-fold
The ozone hole has long been a cause for concern among scientists and environmentalists. With the recent eruption of an undersea volcano last year, experts were bracing for a significant increase in the size of the ozone hole in Antarctica this fall. However, to their surprise, the ozone hole remained relatively average in size, even
When it comes to understanding the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), there has been ongoing uncertainty regarding its timing and cause of inception. The AMOC, a vital component in global climate and marine ecosystems, plays a crucial role in redistributing oceanic heat and salt, interacting with the atmosphere, and ventilating the ocean interior. However, a