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Read science articles on the ice age, glaciation and climatology. Discover the connection between ice ages and global warming.
Updated: 8 min 11 sec ago

Ocean warming is accelerating, and hotspots reveal which areas are absorbing the most heat

Wed, 11/01/2023 - 12:48
A new study reveals increasing warming rates in the world's oceans in recent decades and the locations with the greatest heat uptake.

Meltwater flowing beneath Antarctic glaciers may be accelerating their retreat

Fri, 10/27/2023 - 15:58
A new Antarctic ice sheet modeling study suggests that meltwater flowing out to sea from beneath Antarctic glaciers is making them lose ice faster.   

Breakthrough synthesis method improves solar cell stability

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 15:10
A new process yields 2D halide perovskite crystal layers of ideal thickness and purity through dynamic control of the crystallization process -- a key step toward ensuring device stability for optoelectronics and photovoltaics.

Sediment core analysis supports new epoch characterized by human impact on planet

Wed, 10/25/2023 - 10:06
Scientists analyzed open-source data to track vegetation changes across North America since the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, and conclude that humans have had as much of an impact on the landscape as the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age. 

Report warns about risk tipping points with irreversible impacts on people and planet

Wed, 10/25/2023 - 10:06
A new report finds that drastic changes are approaching if risks to our fundamental socioecological systems are not addressed.  The Interconnected Disaster Risks Report 2023 warns of six risk tipping points ahead of us: Accelerating extinctions; Groundwater depletion; Mountain glaciers melting; Space debris; Unbearable heat; and an Uninsurable future.

Bizarre new fossils shed light on ancient plankton

Wed, 10/25/2023 - 10:06
Recently discovered microfossils date back half a billion years. Resembling modern-day algae, they provide insight into early life in our oceans.

Climate report: 'Uncharted territory' imperils life on Earth

Tue, 10/24/2023 - 10:06
An international coalition of climate scientists says that the Earth's vital signs have worsened beyond anything humans have yet seen, to the point that life on the planet is imperiled.

Increased West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting 'unavoidable'

Mon, 10/23/2023 - 11:38
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to new research. A substantial acceleration in ice melting likely cannot now be avoided, which implies that Antarctica's contribution to sea level rise could increase rapidly over the coming decades.

El Niño's chang­ing pat­terns: Human influ­ence on nat­u­ral vari­abil­ity

Thu, 10/19/2023 - 14:18
Two recent scientific studies provide new insights into Earth's climate dynamics, with a particular focus on the El Niño phenomenon. The results show how El Niño responds to natural factors over extended periods, while highlighting the increasing role of human activities in shaping this climatic phenomenon in the modern era.

Subalpine forests in the Northern Rockies are fire resilient--for now

Tue, 10/17/2023 - 11:35
Using lake sediment cores, scientists determined how these subalpine ecosystems recovered after 4,800 years of fire.

Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics

Tue, 10/17/2023 - 11:34
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors.

Ice sheet surface melt is accelerating in Greenland and slowing in Antarctica

Mon, 10/16/2023 - 15:31
Surface ice in Greenland has been melting at an increasing rate in recent decades, while the trend in Antarctica has moved in the opposite direction, according to researchers.

Over 40 percent of Antarctica's ice shelves reduced in volume over 25 years

Thu, 10/12/2023 - 15:17
71 of the 162 ice shelves that surround Antarctica have reduced in volume over 25 years from 1997 to 2021, with a net release of 7.5 trillion tons of meltwater into the oceans, say scientists.  They found that almost all the ice shelves on the western side of Antarctica experienced ice loss. In contrast, most of the ice shelves on the eastern side stayed the same or increased in volume.  Over the 25 years, the scientists calculated almost 67 trillion tonnes of ice was exported to the ocean, which was offset by 59 trillion tons of ice being added to the ice shelves, giving a net loss of 7.5 trillion tons. 

Gray whales experience major population swings as a result of Arctic conditions

Thu, 10/12/2023 - 15:17
Dynamic and changing Arctic Ocean conditions have likely caused three major mortality events in the eastern North Pacific gray whale population since the 1980s. 

Large swings in past ocean oxygen revealed

Thu, 10/12/2023 - 10:17
As the climate warms, there is major concern that Earth's ocean will lose oxygen. A study has revealed that locked in ancient deep-sea sediments is evidence for oxygen loss in the world's ocean during past glacial periods, indicating that widespread oxygen loss with current climate change may not be permanent.    

Flooding that closed Alaska's Dalton Highway also caused widespread ground sinking

Wed, 10/11/2023 - 19:24
The massive 2015 flooding of the Sagavanirktok River in northern Alaska had immediate impacts, including closure of the Dalton Highway for several days, but it also contributed to longer-term ground subsidence in the permafrost-rich region. 

Warm summers and wet winters yield better wine vintages

Wed, 10/11/2023 - 17:21
Wine quality is notorious for varying from year to year, but what makes for a 'good year?' Researchers show that weather plays an important role in determining wine quality. By analyzing 50 years’ worth of wine critic scores from the Bordeaux wine region in relation to that year’s weather, the researchers showed that higher quality wine is made in years with warmer temperatures, higher winter rainfall, and earlier, shorter growing seasons—conditions that climate change is predicted to make more frequent.

Paleoclimatologists use ancient sediment to explore future climate in Africa

Tue, 10/10/2023 - 12:35
With global warming apparently here to stay, a team of paleoclimatologists are studying an ancient source to determine future rainfall and drought patterns: fossilized plants that lived on Earth millions of years ago.

Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in ancient 14,300-year-old tree rings

Mon, 10/09/2023 - 18:17
An international team of scientists have discovered a huge spike in radiocarbon levels 14,300 years ago by analyzing ancient tree-rings found in the French Alps. The radiocarbon spike was caused by a massive solar storm, the biggest ever identified.  A similar solar storm today would be catastrophic for modern technological society – potentially wiping out telecommunications and satellite systems, causing massive electricity grid blackouts, and costing us billions. The academics are warning of the importance of understanding such storms to protect our global communications and energy infrastructure for the future.

Ancient Maya reservoirs offer lessons for today's water crises

Mon, 10/09/2023 - 18:16
Ancient Maya reservoirs, which used aquatic plants to filter and clean the water, 'can serve as archetypes for natural, sustainable water systems to address future water needs.' The Maya built and maintained reservoirs that were in use for more than 1,000 years. These reservoirs provided potable water for thousands to tens of thousands of people in cities during the annual, five-month dry season and in periods of prolonged drought.

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