Climate

Astronomy

Young sun’s super solar flares helped set early Earth up for life

Super solar flares may have provided early Earth with planet-warming and life-building molecules.

Climate

Zapping clouds with lasers could tweak planet’s temperature

Breaking up the ice particles inside cirrus clouds could make them reflect more light, turning them into a tool to combat global warming.

Oceans

The Arctic Ocean is about to get spicier

Variations in the saltiness and temperature of seawater of the same density, called spiciness, could increase as the Arctic Ocean warms.

Health & Medicine

Zika, psychobiotics and more in reader feedback

Readers respond to the April 2, 2016, issue of Science News with thoughts on Zika virus, planetary science, microbes in mental health and more.

Environment

U.S. oil and gas boom behind rising ethane levels

Oil and gas operations on North Dakota’s Bakken shale are largely to blame for a recent rise in global emissions of the greenhouse gas ethane, researchers conclude.

Earth

Rainwater can help trigger earthquakes

Rainwater plays a major role in the triggering of earthquakes along New Zealand’s Alpine Fault.

Climate

Fizzled 2014 El Niño fired up ongoing monster El Niño

The ongoing El Niño, one of the strongest on record, got a heat boost from a 2014 event that failed due to unfavorable winds.

Climate

Wildfire shifts could dump more ice-melting soot in Arctic

Wildfires will emit more soot into the air in many regions by the end of the century, new simulations show.

Environment

EPA boosts estimate of U.S. methane emissions

A new report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revises the agency’s methane emission estimates upward by 3.4 million metric tons.

Ecosystems

Heat may outpace corals’ ability to cope

Corals may soon lose their ability to withstand warming waters.

Environment

EPA underestimates methane emissions

Methane estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency fail to capture the full scope of U.S. emissions of the greenhouse gas, studies show.

Climate

Pollen becoming bee junk food as CO₂ rises

Rising CO2 lowers protein content in pollen, threatening nutrition for bees.