News Feature Channel: Climate Science

An Emissions Tale of Two Cities: Salt Lake vs. Los Angeles

University of Utah — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:00:03 EST

Researchers from the University of Utah and University of California set out to compare how freeway emissions trends differed in their states' largest metropolitan areas, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.

Study Raises the Possibility of a Country Without Butterflies

Michigan State University — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:35:22 EST

Butterflies are disappearing in the United States. All kinds of them. With a speed scientists call alarming.

20% of Butterflies in the U.S. Have Disappeared Since 2000

Binghamton University, State University of New York — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:00:00 EST

According to new research featuring faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York, butterflies are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Climate Risks: A Double-Edged Sword for Digital and Low-Carbon Economies

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:20:45 EST

A recent study explores the intricate relationship between climate physical risks and the merging of digital and low-carbon economies in China. By examining the disruptive effects of extreme weather events such as severe cold spells and droughts, the research reveals how these climate challenges obstruct the seamless development of both sectors. Utilizing cutting-edge models, the study identifies regional disparities and outlines the mechanisms through which climate risks hinder technological innovation and economic integration, calling for urgent adaptive strategies to ensure sustainable economic growth.

U of I-Led Underwater Forest Research Provides Rare Glimpse to Past Climate Conditions

University of Idaho — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 19:00:35 EST

Cypress trees found on the ocean floor 5 miles south of coastal Alabama are helping scientists from University of Idaho build climate models based on conditions 75,000 years ago.

Older Trees Remember Their Past Water Conditions

Cal Poly Humboldt — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:10:45 EST

Older Trees Remember Their Past Water Conditions

Heat from the Sun Affects Seismic Activity on Earth

American Institute of Physics (AIP) — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:00:00 EST

In the journal Chaos, researchers in Japan explore the likelihood that Earth's climate, as affected by solar heat, plays a role in seismic activity. Using mathematical and computational methods, they analyzed earthquake data alongside solar activity records and surface temperatures on Earth and observed that when they included Earth surface temperatures into their model, the forecasting became more accurate, especially for shallow earthquakes. The findings suggest the transfer of solar heat to the surface of the Earth does affect seismic activity, however minutely, and that incorporating solar activity predictions into detailed Earth temperature models may help issue earthquake forecasts.

Innovative Forest Phenology Monitoring Technology: A New Perspective for Ecology

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:25:39 EST

A new method for forest phenology detection, called the Change Point Estimation of Forest Photosynthetic Phenology based on the Maximum Perpendicular Distance (CBPD), has been developed to accurately extract the start and end of the growing season in forests. Using Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) data, this innovative approach provides a powerful tool for understanding how forests respond to climate change and offers crucial insights into forest ecosystem dynamics.

Study: World's Critical Food Crops at Imminent Risk From Rising Temperatures

Aalto University — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 05:00:00 EST

A new study in Nature Food offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food.

U of I Scientists Develop Simplified Model to Understand Long-Term Glacier Behavior, Climate Change Implications

University of Idaho — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:00:29 EST

University of Idaho researchers have developed a mathematical model that simplifies the way scientists understand changes in glacier movement.

NJIT Biologist Wins NSF CAREER Award to Explore Hidden Hydrological Factor to Forest Resilience

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:25:13 EST

New Jersey Institute of Technology biologist Xiaonan Tai has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to investigate how landscape positions determine forest fate during extreme heat and drought.

Unicorn of the Sea: Drone Reveals Narwhals' Never-Before-Seen Tusk Behavior

Florida Atlantic University — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 09:50:29 EST

Using drones, 17 distinct behaviors of narwhals were captured in the wild. Findings reveal complex behaviors of the Arctic's iconic whale never seen before. This highly gregarious whale uses its tusk to investigate, manipulate and influence the behavior of a fish, the Arctic char. The study also provides the first evidence of play, specifically exploratory-object play, and the first reports of kleptoparasitism, a "food thief" situation, among narwhals and glaucous gulls.

WHOI Scientists Aim to Improve the Study of Marine Heatwaves

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 07:45:55 EST

Researchers call for regional and context-specific approaches to these extreme events

Study Explores How Climate Change Impacts Extreme Cold Events

University at Albany, State University of New York — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 19:20:40 EST

A new study led by Qian Cheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with a team of researchers including Aiguo Dai from the University at Albany, examined a 2023 cold wave in China to better understand how the warming effect of climate change drives or suppresses these types of extreme events.

More Than a Gut Feeling: How Climate Change Affects GI Health

Michigan State University — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 19:15:24 EST

More than a gut feeling: How climate change affects GI health

A Game-Changer for High-Resolution Soil Moisture Mapping in Rough Terrain

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 06:25:33 EST

A new downscaling method has been developed to generate high-resolution surface soil moisture (SSM) data for mountainous regions. By integrating land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation index (VI) data, this innovative technique enhances the spatial resolution of coarse satellite-based SSM products, correcting for topographic effects and providing accurate, seamless SSM maps. This advancement is poised to revolutionize hydrological studies, drought monitoring, and climate change research.

New Computer Model Can Predict the Length of a Household's Displacement in Any U.S. Community After a Disaster

Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:10:00 EST

In a new study published by Risk Analysis uses recent, disaster-related data from the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) to train a computer model to predict the length of household displacement and return outcomes after a disaster. The study is the first to use state-by-state data from the U.S. Census Bureau to quantify the contribution of different factors (including household size, tenure status, educational attainment, and income per household member) on household displacement and return.

Beyond the Burn: Harvesting Dead Wood to Reduce Wildfires and Store Carbon

Florida Atlantic University — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:30:23 EST

A century of fire suppression, climate change, and drought has worsened wildfires in the Western U.S. While prescribed burns help reduce fuel, a "fire deficit" increases wildfire risks, with significant health and environmental impacts. Deforestation and pests further limit carbon storage. Emulating Indigenous practices, a new study shows that combining physical harvesting of dead wood with thinning reduces wildfire risks, lowers carbon emissions, and boosts carbon storage through products like biochar.

The Galactic Journey of our Solar System

University of Vienna — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 05:00:28 EST

An international research team led by the University of Vienna has discovered that the Solar System traversed the Orion star-forming complex, a component of the Radcliffe Wave galactic structure, approximately 14 million years ago. This journey through a dense region of space could have compressed the heliosphere, the protective bubble surrounding our solar system, and increased the influx of interstellar dust, potentially influencing Earth's climate and leaving traces in geological records. The findings, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, offer a fascinating interdisciplinary link between astrophysics, paleoclimatology, and geology.

New SIF model tracks drought effects in real-time

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 02:00:59 EST

A new study has unveiled a high-resolution, hourly solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) dataset designed to monitor vegetation photosynthesis during droughts. This innovative approach offers unprecedented insights into how plants respond to drought stress, providing a powerful tool for real-time drought monitoring and ecosystem management.