Climate

Climate

Wildfires, heat waves and hurricanes broke all kinds of records in 2020

Climate change did not take a break during the pandemic.

Earth

Towering fire-fueled thunderclouds can spew as many aerosols as volcanic eruptions

A massive plume of smoke lofted into the stratosphere during Australia’s fires may represent a new class of “volcanic-scale” pyrocumulonimbus clouds.

Earth

In the past 15 years, climate change has transformed the Arctic

Accumulating evidence and new tools have helped scientists better understand how the Arctic is changing, but the pace has been faster than expected.

Archaeology

Ancient people may have survived desert droughts by melting ice in lava tubes

Bands of charcoal from fires lit long ago, found in an ice core from a New Mexico cave, correspond to five periods of drought over 800 years.

Microbes

50 years ago, scientists suspected microbes flourished in clouds

In 1970, scientists presented early evidence that microbes in clouds may be alive and kicking.

Climate

Once hurricanes make landfall, they’re lingering longer and staying stronger

Warmer ocean waters due to human-caused climate change can help power hurricanes’ fury even after they roar ashore.

Earth

With Theta, 2020 sets the record for most named Atlantic storms

Climate change is expected to fuel fewer — yet more intense — Atlantic storms. With a whopping 29 storms but few strong ones, 2020 may be an outlier.

Animals

How frigid lizards falling from trees revealed the reptiles’ growing cold tolerance

Some Florida lizards’ ability to handle temperatures down to 5.5° C may provide clues to how they might deal with the extremes of climate change.

Oceans

Even the deepest, coldest parts of the ocean are getting warmer

Deep-sea temperatures seem to be rising, but it’s too soon to say whether that’s a result of climate change caused by humans, researchers say.

Oceans

Large-scale changes in Earth’s climate may originate in the Pacific

A new study suggests that the melting of Alaska’s glaciers into the North Pacific could have far-ranging effects on ocean circulation and the climate.

Climate

By 2100, Greenland will be losing ice at its fastest rate in 12,000 years

The rate of loss of Greenland’s ice will soar over the next century even with greatly reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate

Global warming may lead to practically irreversible Antarctic melting

Simulations suggest that even if the Paris climate goals are met, melting Antarctica ice will still cause sea levels to rise by more than 2 meters.