Category: Earth
-
North Atlantic’s marine productivity may not be declining, according to new study of older ice cores
Satellites can detect reflections off chlorophyll in organisms that use this molecule for photosynthesis. This image shows reflections from phytoplankton in the North Atlantic that are swirling with ocean currents. While a previous ice core study concluded that phytoplankton in the North Atlantic had dropped by 10% since the mid-1800s, new research finds these populations…
-
Climate tipping points could be triggered by ‘committed warming’
Schematic figure illustrating (a) the main carbon sources and sinks, and with radiative forcing described in terms of an effective CO2e concentration, accounting additionally for non-CO2 greenhouse gases. (b) The conceptual differences between net zero and constant-concentration commitments. In net zero scenarios human emissions are reduced, allowing for the change in radiative forcing to be…
-
Anthropogenic climate change heightens risks of spatially compounding flooding and heat wave events: Study
Attribution and projection of the compound extreme event based on the risk-based approach. (a) GEV distributions of the compound index in the Hist2020 (red) and HistNat2020 (blue) simulations from the HadGEM3-GA6-N216 model. The dashed and solid lines represent the intensities of the 2016 and 2020 events, respectively. The gray line shows the fraction of attributable…
-
Diverse forests hold huge carbon potential, as long as we cut emissions
Drone view over a forest landscape. Credit: Julian Culverhouse Research results published in the journal, Nature, show that realistic global forest carbon potential is approximately 226 gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon. The study, which involved hundreds of scientists around the world, highlights the critical importance of forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable management in moving towards international…
-
Plant health as a new effective monitoring system for volcanic activity
Images of the study area in 1994 compared to 2022, with the significant loss of trees in the epicenter of the hydrothermal area. Landsat images (c, d) highlight the decline in plant health in the central area with lighter color shading corresponding to lower Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values. Credit: Bogue et al. 2023. Plants…
-
MIT Startup’s LEGO-Like Direct Air Capture System
Noya is advancing carbon removal technology with its scalable and modular direct air capture systems, aiming to mitigate climate change effects. With a vision to mass-produce these systems powered by renewable energy, Noya plans to create large-scale facilities to remove millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, addressing the urgent need for effective carbon…
-
Is some of the body that collided with Earth to form the moon still recognizable inside our planet?
The earth’s internal layers. NASA. Credit: Goddard Media Studios Scientists have dated the birth of the solar system to about 4.57 billion years ago. About 60 million years later a “giant impact” collision between the infant Earth and a Mars-sized body called Theia created the moon. Now, new research suggests that the remains of the…
-
Scientists Unearth Gold’s Remarkable Origin Story
Artistic rendering of a large collision on the early Earth. Scientists from Yale and SwRI have presented a new theory on why gold and platinum are found closer to Earth’s surface, focusing on a unique “transient” mantle region that captures and distributes these metals. Credit: SwRI/Marchi New research offers a theory on how gold, platinum,…
-
The Carbon-Sinking Superpower of Multi-Species Forests
An international study has found that mixed forests store more carbon than monocultures, with four-species mixtures being the most effective. Mixed forests are not only more resilient to environmental threats but also provide greater ecosystem services and biodiversity. Despite these benefits, many countries focus on single-species forest restoration. Above ground carbon stocks are at least…
-
Greenland Glaciers Melting 5x Faster Than 20 Years Ago
Danish researchers have conducted a comprehensive study revealing a dramatic increase in Greenland’s glacier melting over the past 20 years, five times faster than in the 80s and 90s. This study, spanning 130 years and involving 1,000 glaciers, has resolved doubts about the extent of melting due to climate change. The findings highlight the urgent…