An aerial view of the rust-colored Kutuk River in Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska. Thawing permafrost is exposing minerals to weathering, increasing the acidity of the water, which releases metals like iron, zinc and copperFor the first time, a large team of North American scientists has mapped Alaska's 'rusting' rivers and...
Credit: PixabayCarbon pricing systems have empirically reduced emissions by 5 to 21% in their initial years of operation. A research team has compiled findings from 17 real-world climate policies worldwide, offering a more comprehensive understanding than ever before. They employed artificial intelligence to consolidate existing surveys and made them comparable through a new calculation...
This ancient ice block is helping tell the true story of global warmingOSUAlthough there's increasing evidence suggesting that we're experiencing unparalleled levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, our limited historical understanding has impeded our ability to contextualize current CO2 emissions over the long term. What if we could utilize the Earth's natural historical records to...
Pyroclastic flow and clouds of volcanic ash as Krakatoa eruptsDepositphotosWhen a region finds itself covered in volcanic ash, it's usually not a positive development. However, researchers from the University of Barcelona have uncovered a unique set of beneficial characteristics in volcanic ash, rendering it remarkably valuable as an energy storage medium.We've discussed both incredibly...
This ever-growing permafrost-destroying 'sink hole' was originally a small gully in the 1960sMurton et al/Permafrost Periglacial ProcessesWhether you admire John Carpenter's creations or have a fascination with biology, the thawing of subterranean permafrost in polar areas presents notable apprehensions. In a recent discovery, researchers revealed a 'zombie virus' dating back 48,500 years, extracted from...
Aerial view of flooded streets in the Navegantes neighborhood of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil on May 4, 2024.Southern Brazil authorities worked urgently on Sunday to rescue individuals from severe floods and mudslides, marking the area's worst-ever climate disaster. The calamity has resulted in a death toll of at least 78,...
Credit: PixabayThe shift from the African humid period (AHP) to arid conditions in North Africa stands out as a prominent example of climate tipping points in recent geological records. These tipping points occur when minor disturbances provoke significant, nonlinear reactions in the climate system, leading to a transition to a distinctly different climate state,...
Credit: PixabayThe effects of human activities, including greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, on Earth's surface have been extensively researched. Recently, hydrology experts from the University of Arizona delved into the influence of human actions on the deep subsurface of the Earth, an area located hundreds of meters to several kilometers below the surface."We examined...
The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo were some of the worst plastic offenders. Credit: PixabayA recent study revealed that nearly 25% of identifiable plastic pollution originates from just five large corporations. Analyzing 1.87 million instances of environmental plastic waste from 2018 to 2022, researchers found that over half of these instances couldn't be attributed to...
Credit: CanvasThe Dead Sea, nestled between Jordan, Israel, and Palestine, isn't your average sea. It's more like a big, salty bathtub with no outlet! Imagine that!Why so Salty?Well, it's all about the salt. The Dead Sea slurps up water from the Jordan River but doesn't let any out. So, when the water evaporates, it...
