As human activity has increased temperatures globally, determining the costs directly incurred by climate change is challenging. The effects of climate change on extreme weather events—such as hurricanes and heat waves—can be locally specific and variable, and observations and climate modeling might not accurately…
Scientists have discovered that some forest soils are becoming surprisingly better at removing methane from the atmosphere as temperatures rise and rainfall declines. A study spanning up to 24 years found methane absorption increasing by an average of 3% annually, challenging previous predictions about climate…
The strong El Niño currently under way in the Pacific Ocean raises the specter of marine heat waves and coral bleaching once again threatening Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef. And now new research has revealed the complex interplay of atmospheric patterns and weather systems thousands of kilometers apart that…
A new University of Melbourne-led study has identified insights and evidence that could help mitigate the fast-rising climate impact of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
Most studies of how clouds are responding to climate change focus on clouds over the oceans, rather than over mountains. Those that do focus on mountain clouds tend to explore cloud microphysics rather than long-term trends in cloud phase. But understanding cloud behavior over regions such as the Tibetan Plateau…
The writer Malcolm Gladwell popularized the term "tipping points" to refer to the moment when a trend or social behavior crosses a threshold and rapidly spreads everywhere. In physics, tipping points occur when systems—say, Earth's climate—reach an unstable point and topple over into a sea of change that is sometimes…
Wetland reclamation has long been regarded as a strategy to meet growing food demand, given the favorable soil and water conditions of wetlands. However, the trade-off between potentially greater crop production and the ecological cost of lost wetlands—especially involving flood regulation—has not been well understood.
Wastewater reclamation is increasingly regarded as an alternative water source to mitigate water scarcity in China. However, expanding wastewater treatment capacity alone may not be enough to ease this scarcity, since wastewater supply, treatment facilities and reuse demand are not always geographically aligned.
In Philadelphia and many urban areas across the U.S. with sewer systems dating back to the 1800s, more frequent flooding is posing a threat not only to people and property but also to surrounding ecosystems. In these areas, stormwater and sewage drain into the same pipes, which are designed to spill into nearby…
Underground sewers that safely manage wastewater are essential to modern cities. However, since they are buried underground and difficult to access, their condition can be hard to monitor. Traditional camera inspections are costly and time-consuming, but we need regular inspections so aging pipes do not continue to…
A Florida State University–led review shows how ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry can help researchers identify the molecular fingerprints of human activity in water systems around the world.