Earth

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

As the impacts of climate change continue to grow, societies and individuals are faced with the daunting challenge of adapting to a new reality. However, adapting to these changes often necessitates a transformation in culture. In order to shed light on how culture and society can adapt to climate change, a groundbreaking study conducted by

Crevasses, commonly seen as cracks in the ice, are not just passive formations but rather active players in the circulation of seawater beneath the Antarctic ice shelves. Recent research conducted by Cornell University, using a state-of-the-art underwater robot named Icefin, has shed new light on the importance of crevasses in influencing the stability of these