According to a new study, when it comes to measuring global warming, humidity, not just heat, matters in generating dangerous climate extremes.
Continue reading “Humidity and climate change”Sun-moon driven tectonics
A new study led by geophysicist Anne Hofmeister at Washington University proposes that imbalance forces and torques in the Earth-moon-sun system drive circulation of the whole mantle.
Continue reading “Sun-moon driven tectonics”Impacts of freshwater stress
Global freshwater storage and flows are constantly changing with oscillations and persistent trends driven by the combined influence of human activity, climate change, and natural variability on sub-seasonal to multi-decadal timescales.
Continue reading “Impacts of freshwater stress”Massive groundwater reservoirs
Apart from the world’s oceans, groundwater is one of the largest stores of water on Earth. Although it might appear that the planet is covered in vast lakes and river systems, they make up only 0.01 per cent of the Earth’s water. In fact, there is 100 times as much groundwater on this planet as there is freshwater on its surface.
Continue reading “Massive groundwater reservoirs”Exascale Earth simulations
The Earth is a complex system of interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, land and ice. Simulating the dynamics of these systems has proven to be just as complex. Now, Earth system models are able to simulate variations in Earth systems and anticipate decade-scale changes.
Continue reading “Exascale Earth simulations”Ocean heat at record levels
The world experienced record-breaking climate and weather disasters in 2021, from destructive flash floods to heat waves and wildfires. Also, under the surface, ocean temperatures set new heat records in 2021, which are a better indicator of how excess heat is accumulating on the planet.
Continue reading “Ocean heat at record levels”Cool magma chambers
A new study finds the hotspots that created volcanic islands such as those of Hawaii, Iceland and the Galapagos Islands may often prove surprisingly cool.
Continue reading “Cool magma chambers”Future hurricane area increase
A new study indicates that the 21st century may see an expansion of hurricanes and typhoons into mid-latitude regions, which include major cities such as New York, Boston, Beijing and Tokyo.
Continue reading “Future hurricane area increase”Amazon hydrology study
As the largest river basin on Earth, the Amazon is of great importance to the world’s climate and water resources.
Continue reading “Amazon hydrology study”Tiny organisms create mountains
According to new research, without an explosion in ocean life more than 2 billion years ago, many of Earth’s mountains might not have formed.
Continue reading “Tiny organisms create mountains”