Micro-climate moulds and reshapes northern insect communities, herbivory and predation
Climate and changes in it have direct impacts on species of plant and animals—but climate may also shape more complex biological systems like food webs. Now a research group from the University of Helsinki has investigated how micro-climate shapes.....»»
Nicholas Burns nestles concrete chapel within grounds of Portuguese estate
Architect Nicholas Burns has hidden a chapel made from concrete amongst trees and granite boulders on a large private estate in northern Portugal. Read more Architect Nicholas Burns has hidden a chapel made from concrete amongst trees and gr.....»»
Under climate stress, human innovation set stage for population surge
Aridification in the central plains of China during the early Bronze Age did not cause population collapse, a result that highlights the importance of social resilience to climate change. Instead of a collapse amid dry conditions, development of agri.....»»
Using landscape connectivity to control deadly mosquito-borne viruses
A research team has developed a new method for tracking how the deadly yellow fever mosquito moves through the environment, a potentially critical tool for controlling the insect and the diseases it spreads......»»
Under climate stress, human innovation set stage for population surge
Climate alone is not a driver for human behavior. The choices that people make in the face of changing conditions take place in a larger human context. And studies that combine insights from archeologists and environmental scientists can offer more n.....»»
UN: Carbon-cutting pledges by countries nowhere near enough
The newest pledges by countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions are falling far short of what's needed to limit global warming to what the Paris climate accord seeks, a new United Nations report finds......»»
Were it not for humans, woolly mammoths would have lived for 4,000 more years, simulation shows
An international team of researchers has used computer simulations to show that it was likely a combination of climate change and human hunting that led to the extinction of the woolly mammoth. They have written a paper describing their findings, ava.....»»
Protecting the family tree with global seed vaults
It seems like every day we learn of a new risk posed to native plants, from bushfires to climate change. But they're not going out without a—er—bang......»»
Newness raises $3.5 million for its ‘Twitch for beauty streamers’
Newness, a startup co-founded by former Twitch employees, has raised $3.5 million in a Sequoia-led seed round for its live-streaming platform aimed at beauty creators and their fan communities. Though today’s creators are not without options wh.....»»
When devastation strikes the oceans, sharks can hold the key to recovery
A world without sharks is a world less resilient to extreme climate events, scientists say......»»
Getting ahead of climate change
As climate change increases the occurrence of catastrophic natural disasters around the world, international organizations are looking for ways to reduce the risk of such disasters. One approach under exploration is the humanitarian community's forec.....»»
Southern exposure: Cold wreaks havoc on aging waterworks
The sunshine is back and the ice has melted. But more than a week after a deep freeze across the South, many communities are still grappling with getting clean water to their residents......»»
Amazon rainforest plots sold via Facebook Marketplace ads
Protected land reserved for Brazil's indigenous communities is being traded on the social network......»»
Did teenage "tyrants" outcompete other dinosaurs?
Paleo-ecologists from The University of New Mexico and at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have demonstrated that the offspring of enormous carnivorous dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus rex may have fundamentally re-shaped their communities by out-c.....»»
Forests" long-term capacity to store carbon is dropping in regions with extreme annual fires
More intense and frequent fires are reducing the size of tree communities in many regions of the world.Slower-growing tree species are better at surviving fires, but these may capture less atmospheric carbon and reduce nutrient availability in the so.....»»
Extreme melt on Antarctica"s George VI ice shelf
Antarctica's northern George VI Ice Shelf experienced record melting during the 2019-2020 summer season compared to 31 previous summers of dramatically lower melt, a University of Colorado Boulder-led study found. The extreme melt coincided with reco.....»»
What motivates natural resource policymakers in Africa to take action on climate change?
Climate services are vital tools for decision makers addressing climate change in developing countries. Science-based seasonal forecasts and accompanying materials can support climate risk management in agriculture, health, water management, energy,.....»»
El Niño impacts the precipitation recycle ratio over the Tibetan Plateau at interannual timescale
The water cycle over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), known as the "Asian Water Tower", is vital to the regional and downstream climate and ecosystem. A new study found that the interannual variability of the summer precipitation recycle ratio over the TP i.....»»
"Like a horror movie": Caterpillar silences tomato"s cry for help, scientists find
While there's a famous horror-movie spoof about killer tomatoes, no one seems to have made one about caterpillars—the insect pests that eat the juicy red fruits of summer......»»
One California community shows how to take the waste out of water
Caught between climate change and multi-year droughts, California communities are tapping groundwater and siphoning surface water at unsustainable rates......»»
Short-term climate modeling forecasts drought for Southeast US
Many climate models focus on scenarios decades into the future, making their outcomes seem unreliable and problematic for decision-making in the immediate future. In a proactive move, researchers are using short-term forecasts to stress the urgency o.....»»