Climate Change
Australia’s Massive Wildfires Shredded the Ozone Layer—Now Scientists Know Why
Smoke from the catastrophic 2019–2020 fires in Australia unleashed ozone-eating chlorine molecules into the stratosphere
Natural Disasters738 articles archived since 1845
Natural Disasters
Ancient Tsunami Detectives Hunt for Long-Lost Cataclysms
Gigantic tsunamis have been decimating coastlines since time immemorial and hold warnings for our present and future
Natural Disasters
How to Engineer Buildings That Withstand Earthquakes
Though deadly quakes can’t be prevented, science does have some ways to protect buildings—and the people inside them
Climate Change
Ignoring Climate Risks Has Inflated Property Values in Flood Zones
Home buyers are paying excessive prices after ignoring flood risk and the costs of insurance and repairs, a new study finds
Natural Disasters
We May Never Predict Earthquakes, but We Can Make Them Less Deadly
Improvements in how scientists measure plate movement and detect places where stress is building allow them to recognize areas where the likelihood of an earthquake is high
Mental Health
Survivors of Deadly Earthquakes Must Deal with Lasting Trauma
A psychiatrist who has studied the effects of previous devastating quakes explains how the Turkey-Syria earthquake could impact survivors’ mental health
Natural Disasters
Turkey’s Twitter Cutoff Harmed Earthquake Rescue Operations
A temporary Twitter block after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria shows how vital the platform has become for responding to disasters
Natural Disasters
Why the Earthquake in Turkey Was So Damaging and Deadly
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Turkey is a rare occurrence and underscores the importance of setting and enforcing building codes
Natural Disasters
Can We Predict Earthquakes At All?
If we can predict hurricanes, floods, and tornados to differing degrees of reliability, why don’t we know when the next big earthquake will come?
Natural Disasters
Disasters Displaced More Than 3 Million Americans in 2022
More than three million adults were forced to evacuate their homes in the U.S. in the past year because of hurricanes, floods and other disasters, according to the Census Bureau
Water
How Water Finally Became a Climate Change Priority
A collaboration helped convince policy makers at COP27 to finally prioritize water as a critical resource affected by climate change. It was a win long in the making
Natural Disasters
Upstart Flood-Damage Insurer Could Pay Claims within Hours
Sensors installed on clients’ buildings detect water levels and immediately trigger the claims process
Climate Change
Double Disaster: Wildfires Followed by Extreme Rainfall Are More Likely with Climate Change
These events can cause devastating landslides and flash floods
Climate Change
More Americans Are Moving into Dangerous Wildfire Zones
A new study that looked at U.S. Census data found that migration patterns are putting more people in the way of wildfires and hot summers
Geology
How Water Made Fire in an Indonesian Volcano
Heavy rains may have set off an outpouring of ash and gases from Indonesia’s volcano Semeru “like uncorking a soda bottle”
Natural Disasters
Twitter Chaos Endangers Public Safety, Emergency Managers Warn
Twitter is a crucial communication tool during disasters, but impersonators and other problems under Elon Musk’s leadership have emergency managers on edge
Climate Change
Warming Worsened West Africa Floods That Killed 800 People
Unusually heavy monsoon rains that caused deadly flooding in Nigeria were made 80 percent more likely by climate change
Natural Disasters
Why California Wildfires Burned Far Less This Year
Though California has seen millions of acres burn from wildfires in recent years as a changing climate brings high temperatures and persistent drought, several factors led to a quiet 2022 fire season...
Weather
Weird Weather: How to Tell a Williwaw from a Haboob
You may have endured a frost quake, pogonip or Saskatchewan screamer without knowing it. Take our tour of weird weather terms to find out
Climate Change
Climate Impacts Threaten Nearly Every Aspect of Life in U.S., Government Report Says
The effects of climate change in the U.S. are steadily worsening and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable residents, a draft report of the next National Climate Assessment finds...
