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Hurricane Beryl, first of 2024 season, bears down on CaribbeanMuch of the southeast Caribbean was on alert Sunday as Beryl strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, with forecasters warning it will swiftly become a major storm.... Read more
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Extreme wildfires have doubled in just 20 years—here's the scienceIt feels like we are getting used to the Earth being on fire. Recently, more than 70 wildfires burned simultaneously in Greece. In early 2024, Chile suffered its worst wildfire season in history, with more than 130 people killed. Last year, Canada's record-breaking wildfires burned from March to November and,... Read more
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Fast fashion is harming our planet—these four tips can help you build a more sustainable wardrobeAs sunny summer days return in the northern hemisphere, you may be looking to refresh your wardrobe. The allure of a whole "new you" is pervasive, and the foundation of many a successful marketing campaign.... Read more
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Planting giant cactus to stave off desertification in BrazilGiant spiky cacti tower over farmer Alcides Peixinho Nascimento, 70, one of the residents of Brazil's unique Caatinga biome who is on a mission to plant native vegetation in a bid to halt desertification.... Read more
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Tackling the dual threat: A global strategy for PM2.5 and O3 pollutionAir pollution is a severe risk to human health and the environment, particularly from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). Despite global efforts, many cities continue to face significant exposure risks from these pollutants.... Read more
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Constructing a cross-component background error covariance for strongly coupled land-atmosphere data assimilationLand surface temperature (LST) is the key variable in land–atmosphere interaction, having an important impact on weather and climate forecasting. Although there have been advances in data assimilation within land-atmosphere coupled models, weakly coupled assimilation remains predominant. This means that the cross-component interactions between land and atmosphere are not adequately... Read more
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Drowning in waste: Pollution hotspots in aquatic environmentsAn IIASA study explores waste management systems and reveals that achieving zero waste leakage by 2030 is unlikely, potentially jeopardizing related Sustainable Development Goals. The authors emphasize the need for global cooperation, particularly across four regions, to responsibly manage waste disposal. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications.... Read more
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Climate change to shift tropical rains northward, suggests computer modelingA study led by a UC Riverside atmospheric scientist predicts that unchecked carbon emissions will force tropical rains to shift northward in the coming decades, which would profoundly impact agriculture and economies near the Earth's equator.... Read more
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'Not crazy to be optimistic' on climate tech, Gates tells investorsMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates on Thursday urged investors to get behind cutting-edge climate technologies he says would drive a "green industrial revolution" and a next wave of global prosperity.... Read more
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7.2 magnitude earthquake shakes southern PeruA magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook the southern coast of Peru early Friday. Authorities say there are no immediate reports of casualties.... Read more
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Nigerians strive to bring mangrove forests back to lifeOn a riverbank in the Niger Delta, a group of residents in rubber boots has been working to restore one of Nigeria's most precious and damaged ecosystems—its mangrove forests.... Read more
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Clean Water Act leaves about 55% of water flowing out of rivers vulnerable to pollution, study suggestsThe Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that rivers that only flow in response to weather events—called ephemeral streams—do not fall under the protection of the Clean Water Act. Research published in the journal Science, led by University of Massachusetts Amherst recent doctoral graduate Craig Brinkerhoff and co-authored by colleagues at... Read more
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Hail the size of golf balls and even grapefruit? The science of how tiny ice crystals grow dangerously largeHail the size of grapefruit shattered car windows in Johnson City, Texas. In June, 2024, a storm chaser found a hailstone almost as big as a pineapple. Even larger hailstones have been documented in South Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska. Hail has damaged airplanes and even crashed through the roofs of... Read more
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'Stress test': Olive oil producers adapt to climate changeOlive oil producers are improving irrigation and seeking new varieties of olives to safeguard production as climate change upends harvests, causing prices of the staple of the Mediterranean diet to soar.... Read more
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Climate change and sea level rise pose an acute challenge for cities with combined sewer systemsOlder coastal cities, like Philadelphia, New York and Boston are at risk of being inundated by untreated sewage during floods. Due in part to the design of their combined sewer systems and in part due to sea level rise, these cities could be facing a growing public health crisis as... Read more