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Atmospheric chemistry keeps pollutants in the air

Science Daily - Tue, 06/03/2025 - 10:50
A new study details processes that keep pollutants aloft despite a drop in emissions.

Scientists say next few years vital to securing the future of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Science Daily - Tue, 06/03/2025 - 10:50
Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could be triggered with very little ocean warming above present-day, leading to a devastating four meters of global sea level rise to play out over hundreds of years according to a new study. However, the authors emphasize that immediate actions to reduce emissions could still avoid a catastrophic outcome.

Geological time capsule highlights Great Barrier Reef's resilience

Science Daily - Mon, 06/02/2025 - 14:55
New research adds to our understanding of how rapidly rising sea levels due to climate change foreshadow the end of the Great Barrier Reef as we know it. The findings suggest the reef can withstand rising sea levels in isolation but is vulnerable to associated environmental stressors arising from global climate change.

Long shot science leads to revised age for land-animal ancestor

Science Daily - Thu, 05/29/2025 - 18:46
The fossils of ancient salamander-like creatures in Scotland are among the most well-preserved examples of early stem tetrapods -- some of the first animals to make the transition from water to land. Thanks to new research, scientists believe that these creatures are 14 million years older than previously thought. The new age -- dating back to 346 million years ago -- adds to the significance of the find because it places the specimens in a mysterious hole in the fossil record called Romer's Gap.

Save twice the ice by limiting global warming

Science Daily - Thu, 05/29/2025 - 14:54
A new study finds that if global warming exceeds the Paris Climate Agreement targets, the non-polar glacier mass will diminish significantly. However, if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, at least 54 per cent could be preserved -- more than twice as much ice as in a 2.7 C scenario.

Anthropologists spotlight human toll of glacier loss

Science Daily - Thu, 05/29/2025 - 14:54
Anthropologists have examined the societal consequences of global glacier loss.

Ancient DNA used to map evolution of fever-causing bacteria

Science Daily - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 15:25
Researchers have analyzed ancient DNA from Borrelia recurrentis, a type of bacteria that causes relapsing fever, pinpointing when it evolved to spread through lice rather than ticks, and how it gained and lost genes in the process.

Climate change poses severe threat to bowhead whale habitat

Science Daily - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 11:55
New research examining 11,700 years of bowhead whale persistence throughout the Arctic projects that sea ice loss due to climate change will cause their habitat to severely contract by up to 75 per cent.

Clouding the forecast: Study reveals why so many climate models are wrong about the rate of Arctic warming

Science Daily - Tue, 05/20/2025 - 11:22
The Arctic is one of the coldest places on Earth, but in recent decades, the region has been rapidly warming, at a rate three to four times faster than the global average. However, current climate models have been unable to account for this increased pace. Now, researchers have reported that clouds may be to blame.

Research team traces evolutionary history of bacterial circadian clock on ancient Earth

Science Daily - Tue, 05/20/2025 - 00:27
To better understand the circadian clock in modern-day cyanobacteria, a research team has studied ancient timekeeping systems. They examined the oscillation of the clock proteins KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC (Kai-proteins) in modern cyanobacteria, comparing it to the function of ancestral Kai proteins.

Glaciers will take centuries to recover even if global warming is reversed, scientists warn

Science Daily - Mon, 05/19/2025 - 12:15
New research reveals mountain glaciers across the globe will not recover for centuries -- even if human intervention cools the planet back to the 1.5 C limit, having exceeded it.

Rising temperatures lead to unexpectedly rapid carbon release from soils

Science Daily - Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:45
How sensitively does organic carbon stored in soils react to changes in temperature and humidity?

Ancient ocean sediments link changes in currents to cooling of Northern Hemisphere 3.6 million years ago

Science Daily - Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:44
New research from an international group looking at ancient sediment cores in the North Atlantic has for the first time shown a strong correlation between sediment changes and a marked period of global cooling that occurred in the Northern Hemisphere some 3.6 million years ago. The changes in sediments imply profound changes in the circulation of deep water currents occurred at this time. This crucial piece of work, which showed sediments changed in multiple sites east of the mid-Atlantic ridge but not west of that important geographical feature, opens multiple doors to future research aimed at better understanding the link between deep water currents, Atlantic Ocean heat and salt distribution and ice-sheet expansion, and climatic change.

Sharp depletion in soil moisture drives land water to flow into oceans, contributing to sea level rise

Science Daily - Wed, 05/14/2025 - 14:53
The increasing frequency of once-in-a-decade agricultural and ecological drought has underscored the urgency of studying hydrological changes. A research team has analyzed the estimated changes in land water storage over the past 40 years by utilizing space geodetic observation technology and global hydrological change data. This innovative method has revealed a rapid depletion in global soil moisture, resulting in a significant amount of water flowing into the oceans, leading to a rise in sea levels. The research provides new insights into the driving factors behind the alarming reduction in terrestrial water storage and rise in sea levels.

Satellites observe glacier committing 'ice piracy'

Science Daily - Thu, 05/08/2025 - 10:31
A glacier in Antarctica is committing 'ice piracy' -- stealing ice from a neighbor -- in a phenomenon that has never been observed in such a short time frame, say scientists.

Waxing and waning prairie: New study unravels causes of ancient climate changes

Science Daily - Thu, 05/08/2025 - 10:31
A long period of drought in North America has been recognized by scientists for decades. A new study links the severe climate to a change in Earth's orbit.

All of the biggest U.S. cities are sinking

Science Daily - Thu, 05/08/2025 - 10:26
A new study of the 28 most populous U.S. cities finds that all are sinking to one degree or another. The cities include not just those on the coasts, where relative sea level is a concern, but many in the interior. Furthermore, using newly granular data, the study finds that some cities are sinking at different rates in different spots, or sinking in some places and rising in others, potentially introducing stresses that could affect buildings and other infrastructure.

Biological particles may be crucial for inducing heavy rain

Science Daily - Mon, 05/05/2025 - 11:18
Atmospheric and climate scientists show that biological particles may induce rain events that could contribute to flooding and snowstorms, owing to their ability to precipitate ice formation in clouds. They call for an update of meteorological and climate models.

Loss of sea ice alters the colors of light in the ocean

Science Daily - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 12:39
The disappearance of sea ice in polar regions due to global warming not only increases the amount of light entering the ocean, but also changes its color. These changes have far-reaching consequences for photosynthetic organisms such as ice algae and phytoplankton.

Elephant instead of wild boar? What could have been in Europe

Science Daily - Mon, 04/28/2025 - 21:19
Even under today's climatic conditions, the long-extinct straight-tusked elephant could still live in Europe. This is the conclusion of a recent study. For this finding, the research group combined fossil finds with reconstructions of past climates.

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