In Finnish Lapland, Tiina Sanila-Aikio, former president of the Finnish Sami parliament, has witnessed a record-hot, dry summer in the region. This warming trend is visibly affecting the Sami homeland, where conifer trees are turning orange, and the typically lush moss is drying out. These boreal forests and peatlands, which are critical for absorbing carbon, form part of Finland’s natural carbon sink. However, the impacts of climate change, paired with human activities like logging and peatland degradation, are causing Finland’s carbon sink to shrink rapidly.
Continue reading “Finland’s carbon sink crisis”Rain’s role in boosting ocean carbon uptake
Three decades ago, David Ho, then a young NOAA technician, set up an unusual experiment involving two dinosaur-patterned kiddie pools in the NOAA parking lot to investigate the role of rain in CO2 exchange between air and water. Ho’s daily routine involved waiting for Miami’s frequent thunderstorms to sample the rain-affected pools, enduring months of drenching for science. The initial results showed that rainfall significantly enhances the transfer of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to the ocean, setting the stage for Ho’s lifetime research into ocean carbon uptake. Now an oceanographer at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Ho’s recent study provides a global assessment of this process, revealing rain’s critical impact on the ocean’s carbon sink.
Continue reading “Rain’s role in boosting ocean carbon uptake”Branch faults in continental transform earthquakes
Researchers Ross Stein and Peter Bird have proposed a hypothesis that many major continental transform earthquakes begin on branch faults, which they describe as “on-ramps” that lead to ruptures on larger, more mature faults. This theory, if validated, could have significant implications for earthquake monitoring and preparedness, potentially altering how and where seismic networks are deployed.
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The Earth relies on natural processes and ecosystems to regulate the climate, with carbon sinks playing a crucial role. These include oceans, forests, and soils, which absorb about half of all human carbon emissions. One of the key processes is the daily migration of zooplankton and other marine organisms that feed on algae near the surface at night and return to the depths during the day. This vertical movement helps transport carbon to the ocean floor, contributing to the natural absorption of carbon.
Continue reading “Threats to carbon sinks and climate stability”Seismic signal traced to Greenland rockslide
In September 2023, a globally detected seismic signal sparked curiosity among scientists when it persisted for up to nine days. This signal, unlike typical earthquake waves, was traced back to a massive rockslide in Greenland’s Dickson Fjord. A multinational team of researchers, including those from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), set out to uncover what caused the prolonged vibrations. Their investigation revealed that the seismic signal was generated by the continuous movement of water sloshing back and forth in the fjord, following the rockslide. The study linked the rockslide to glacier thinning, a consequence of climate change.
Continue reading “Seismic signal traced to Greenland rockslide”Global biodiversity loss threatens ecosystems
A recent scientific assessment has revealed that global wildlife populations have plummeted by an average of 73% over the past 50 years, driven by human activity and ecosystem degradation. The WWF and Zoological Society of London’s Living Planet Report shows that Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced the sharpest declines, with a 95% fall in wildlife populations. Africa saw a 76% decrease, while Asia and the Pacific reported a 60% drop. Europe and North America recorded smaller declines of 35% and 39%, respectively, due to earlier wildlife losses in these regions before 1970.
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Researchers studying Türkiye’s Central Anatolian Plateau have uncovered evidence of lithospheric dripping, a newly discovered phenomenon in plate tectonics. This process involves Earth’s crust slowly sinking, or “dripping,” into the deeper layers of the planet, altering surface geology over time. The Konya Basin, a depression within the plateau, exhibits signs of this process as the crust gradually subsides into the mantle. This discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding how tectonic activities impact Earth’s surface.
Continue reading “Lithospheric dripping discovered in Turkey”Ancient seafloor discovery reveals Earth’s deep history
University of Maryland scientists have made a groundbreaking ancient seafloor discovery, revealing evidence of a seafloor that sank deep into Earth during the age of dinosaurs. This finding challenges existing theories about Earth’s interior structure and provides new insights into the planet’s geological history. The ancient seafloor was uncovered in the East Pacific Rise, a tectonic plate boundary in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, through innovative seismic imaging techniques that allowed the researchers to peer deep into Earth’s mantle. The findings were published in Science Advances on September 27, 2024.
Continue reading “Ancient seafloor discovery reveals Earth’s deep history”Volcanism and warming in the Miocene Climate Optimum
As our climate warms, scientists are looking to ancient climate events to predict future changes. One such event is the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO), which occurred between 17 and 15 million years ago. The MCO is associated with significant volcanic activity, particularly the Columbia River Basalts in the Northwestern US, which released large amounts of CO2. This volcanic CO2 is believed to have contributed to the global warming of the time. However, a new study led by Jennifer Kasbohm from the Carnegie Science’s Earth and Planets Laboratory challenges the idea that these volcanic eruptions directly triggered the warming.
Continue reading “Volcanism and warming in the Miocene Climate Optimum”Digital Twin of the Ocean transforms marine science
Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are revolutionizing our understanding of the oceans, with the EU-funded Digital Twin of the Ocean project playing a key role in this transformation. By creating a digital replica of the ocean, the project integrates vast amounts of data from various sources, providing a powerful tool for researchers, policymakers, and industries. The initiative aims to improve ocean management and sustainability by simulating real-world scenarios and offering insights that were previously out of reach.
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