A New Arctic Is Emerging, Thanks to Climate Change
After years of warning, sea ice coverage and other indicators are beginning to push outside the bounds of the former “normal” climate
Stories by Chelsea Harvey
Earth Hasn’t Warmed This Fast in Tens of Millions of Years
Chemical analyses of ancient sediments allowed scientists to put together one of the most comprehensive climate histories of the planet
Antarctica’s Ice Shelves May Be at Growing Risk of Collapse
Surface melting that causes fractures in the ice could threaten more than half of the continent’s floating ice platforms
Recipe for a Busy Hurricane Season: Warmer Water, Cleaner Air
The peak of the season just started, but already there have been as many storms as in an entire average season
Extreme Heat Exposure Could Really Ramp Up in U.S. Cities
Unchecked climate change, urban development and population rise could all contribute to more people being exposed to punishing heat
Antarctica’s Ice Shelves Have Lost Millions of Metric Tons of Ice
As these platforms are winnowed away, they imperil the continent’s glaciers and set the stage for further sea level rise
With Fires, Heat and a Cyclone, Arctic Breaks Melting Record
Sea ice loss could ultimately beat the record low season of 2012
Worst- and Best-Case Scenarios for Warming Less Likely, Groundbreaking Study Finds
The research narrows the range for how much Earth’s average temperature may rise if CO2 levels are doubled
Drop in Global Travel May Have Hurt Weather Forecasts
Commercial planes and ships usually gather valuable data to feed into weather models
Worrisome Signs Emerge for 1.5-Degree-C Climate Target
There is a 24 percent chance that global average temperature could surpass that mark in the next five years
Slash CO2, Then Wait—and Wait—for Temperatures to Drop
Climate action today will take decades to manifest in global temperatures because of “climate inertia”
Why Is the South Pole Warming So Quickly? It’s Complicated
Much of the warming is linked to natural climate cycles happening thousands of miles away in the tropics
Saharan Dust Plume Slams U.S., Kicking Up Climate Questions
Whether these plumes—which can dampen hurricane activity and irritate lungs—will become more common with warming is unclear
Clouds May Be the Key to a Climate Modeling Mystery
Newer models show more future warming than previous ones, and it may be due to how they incorporate clouds
Declining Antarctic Sea Ice Could Disrupt a Major Carbon Sink
Ancient ice and sediment samples show that extensive sea ice in the past helped halt the rise of carbon dioxide
Summer Weather Won’t Save Us from Coronavirus
Though hotter, humid weather can dampen transmission, it is not enough to significantly curtail the pandemic
High Temperatures Set Off Major Greenland Ice Melt—Again
An Arctic heat wave ushered in the start of the melt season two weeks earlier than average
Rapid Antarctic Ice Melt in the Past Bodes Ill for the Future
Geological evidence shows glaciers retreated by as much as 6 miles in a year at the end of the last ice age
Because of Rising CO2, Trees Might Be Warming the Arctic
Less water loss from plants causes the surrounding air to warm, and currents can transport that heat poleward
In Summer, Antarctic Snow Turns Green with Algae
Climate change could impact where the blooms, likely important to the local ecosystem, appear
