Climate
Space Has Better Internet Than Antarctica, but That Might Change
A proposed fiber-optic cable could make it easier for scientists to transmit crucial climate data
Stories by Chelsea Harvey
Climate
Western Heat Wave ‘Virtually Impossible’ without Climate Change
Global warming made such an event at least 150 times more likely a new rapid analysis finds
Climate
The Time May Finally Be Ripe for a National Climate Service
This umbrella service could make it easier for communities to find information on climate risks, from drought to floods
EARTH
Don’t Worry about CO2, Worry about the Earth’s ‘Energy Balance’
The “most fundamental” climate metric takes a troubling turn
Climate
Giant Ice Shelf Crumbling Faster Than Expected
Antarctica’s enormous Pine Island Glacier could follow right behind it, raising global sea levels significantly
Conservation
Saved from Shuckers, Oysters Fight Rising Seas
New York City is building protective reefs with farmed oysters restaurants do not want
Climate
Coastal Arctic Sea Ice Is Thinning Faster Than Previously Thought
Old maps of snow depth on the ice had led researchers to underestimate melting
Environment
Struggling Seabirds Are Red Flag for Ocean Health
These sentinels of marine ecosystems point to the damage climate change, overfishing and other human pressures are causing
Environment
Greenland Glaciers May Be Leaking Mercury
The toxin’s presence in meltwater raises concerns for fishing, a primary food source for Indigenous communities
Climate
Yellowstone Is Warming at Its Fastest Rate in 1,250 Years
The summer of 2016 was the hottest in the nation’s first and oldest national park since 770
Climate
World’s Oldest Cave Paintings Are Fading—Climate Change May Be to Blame
Repeated shifts between wet and dry conditions boost the growth of salt crystals that destabilize the rock canvas
EARTH
Millions of Groundwater Wells Could Run Dry
Overpumping, drought and climate change are lowering water tables worldwide
EARTH
Glacier Is Surging Down Denali Mountain in Alaska
The slumping ice is moving 50 to 100 times faster than usual
Environment
Heat-Trapping Methane Surged in 2020
Aquatic ecosystems, many altered by human activities, played a surprisingly large role
Conservation
Seagrass Forests Counteract Ocean Acidification
More of the coastal vegetation could lessen stress on corals and shellfish
Climate
Greenland’s Lakes Are Vanishing during Winter as Well as Summer
Special satellite radar reveals the unexpected drainage through the porous Greenland ice sheet
Climate
Iconic Cherry Blossoms Are Blooming Earlier Than Ever in Washington, D.C.
And in Japan, this year’s arrival was the earliest in 1,200 years
Climate
Solar Geoengineering Should be Investigated, Scientists Say
Recommendation from the National Academies stirs controversy over consequences
Environment
Lightning Rises Sharply in the Arctic
Warmer temperatures and higher humidity may be key factors
Environment
Noisy Cicadas Are Emerging Earlier
More and more broods are crawling out of the ground sooner than expected
