Latest science news in Earth & Climate
Plastic pollution: treaty talks get into the nitty-gritty
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday warned that global plastics pollution was a "time bomb", as diplomats began five days of talks in Paris to make progress on a treaty...
What happens when conflicting priorities collide and potentially compromise trees, woodland and forests?
A tree is not just a tree. It is also fuel, paper, furniture, livelihood, and industry.
Kyiv defenses hold up in new record Russian attack on Ukrainian capital
Russia hit Kyiv with a record wave of drone and missile attacks with back-to-back raids overnight Monday and then again in a rare afternoon strike.
Microorganisms are key to storing carbon in soils, shows new study
According to a study recently published in Nature, microorganisms play a key role in soil carbon storage. The study, conducted by an international team of scientists including researchers from the...
Researchers suggest very short-lived halogens partially to blame for ozone depletion over the tropics
An international team of climate scientists has used climate models to show that some very short-lived substances are partially to blame for ozone depletion over the tropics. In their paper...
The oldest tree in the world (and the 7 runner-ups)
From Prometheus and Methuselah to trees in remote forests of China, these are the most ancient known trees on Earth.
Scientists discover giant crater from ice age explosion that has methane-spewing mud volcano inside it
The Borealis Mud Volcano is only the second found in Norwegian waters and releases a continuous stream of methane-rich, muddy liquid from deep below Earth's crust.
Drought-struck Barcelona quenches thirst with costly desalination
Where once the population of Barcelona drank mostly from its rivers and wells, Spain's second city now relies upon a labyrinth-like mesh of green, blue and purple pipes inside an...
As rising oceans threaten NYC, study documents another risk: The city is sinking
If rising oceans aren't worry enough, add this to the risks New York City faces: The metropolis is slowly sinking under the weight of its skyscrapers, homes, asphalt and humanity...
Four dead after tourist boat capsizes in Northern Italian lake
Authorities in Italy said Monday that they have recovered the bodies of four people after a tourist boat capsized over the weekend on Lake Maggiore in high winds.
Rescue operations underway after building collapses in Davenport
Rescue operations were underway Sunday night after a six-story building partially collapsed in the eastern Iowa city of Davenport.
Body of escaped Ohio inmate recovered, ending five-day manhunt
An inmate convicted of murder who escaped from an Ohio correctional facility last week has been found dead in Kentucky, authorities said.
At least 1 dead and 3 missing after tourist boat overturns on Italian lake
At least one person died and three remain missing after a boat was overturned by high winds on Italy's Lake Maggiore Sunday.
NYC to house migrants in former Harlem prison after green light from governor
New York City officials plan to house migrants at a former prison in Harlem after receiving the green light from Gov. Kathy Hochul, reports said Sunday.
Warming Arctic could put chill on squirrel 'date nights'
As Alaska's bleak winter sets in, arctic ground squirrels burrow deep into the ground to begin an eight-month-hibernation before popping up again in spring, famished and eager to breed.
Dangerous slowing of Antarctic ocean circulation sooner than expected
Climate change-driven shifts in the circulation of waters to the deepest reaches of the ocean around Antarctica, which could reverberate across the planet and intensify global warming, are happening decades...
Climate change could trigger gigantic deadly tsunamis from Antarctica, new study warns
Slippages in sediment beneath the Antarctic seabed could spawn gigantic tsunamis as oceans warm.
New source of fire records gives a bigger picture of the risks
Sand dunes are not an obvious place to find high-quality fire records. For a start, anyone who walks on the forested sand dunes of South-East Queensland will be impressed by...
Ukrainian official acknowledges attacks on Crimean Bridge, Russian Navy
A Ukrainian official confirmed Saturday the country's military played a role in last year's drone attack on a key Crimean bridge as well as on the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
NATO urges Kosovo authorities to reduce tensions after ethnic clashes
NATO and Western allies on Saturday condemned actions by security forces in Kosovo after a bout of ethnic clashes and urged authorities to de-escalate tensions in several Serbian majority towns.
Biodegradable plastic in clothing doesn't break down nearly as quickly as hoped—new research
Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Over 100 million tons of plastic enters the environment each year, with more than 10...
From mangroves to fjords, coastal ecosystems can take up or emit greenhouse gases. But globally, they're a vital sink
Coastal ecosystems can absorb or emit the three main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
Antarctic alarm bells: Observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted
Antarctica sets the stage for the world's greatest waterfall. The action takes place beneath the surface of the ocean. Here, trillions of tons of cold, dense, oxygen-rich water cascade off...
On This Day, May 27: Tornado outbreak kills 27 in Central Texas
On May 27, 1997, an F5 tornado half a mile wide ripped through the small Texas town of Jarrell, killing 27 people, including a family of five.
Why the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is especially hard to predict
It’s hard to know how busy this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be, thanks to a rarely observed combination of ocean and climate conditions. The Atlantic Ocean is in an active storm...
Sargassum seaweed blob targeting Florida's coast as health hazard
Be cautious when heading to Florida's beaches this summer, an expert warned, as a 5,000-mile floating mass of sargassum seaweed has begun washing up on the state's shores.
2 killed in second fatal plane crash at Palm Beach airport this year
Two people are dead after a small plane crashed near Palm Beach County Park Airport in Lantana, Fla., Friday.
What's in a name? Sometimes, the climate
Climate leaves indelible marks on our lives—impacting where we live, what we eat, our work and our leisure. Two scientists recently documented one of climate's lesser-known impacts: our given names.