Global Warming News - SciTechDaily

Scientists Sound the Alarm: Record Ocean Heat Puts the Great Barrier Reef in Danger

University of Wollongong — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:09:16 +0000

The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing devastating coral bleaching due to the highest sea temperatures in 400 years, driven by human-induced climate change, with scientists calling for urgent global action. New research indicates the Great Barrier Reef is under critical pressure, with warming sea temperatures and mass coral bleaching events threatening to destroy the remarkable [...]

How Hot Was July 2024? NASA Shows Earth Just Set a Scorching Record!

NASA — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 14:22:48 +0000

On July 22, 2024, Earth experienced its hottest day ever recorded, a milestone in a series of unprecedented high temperatures reported by NASA. This event is a stark indicator of the ongoing global warming trend, primarily driven by human activities such as the emission of greenhouse gases. NASA, leveraging its vast array of Earth-observing satellites, [...]

A Million-Year Journey: Slow Recovery of Vegetation From Global Warming

ETH Zurich — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 18:00:09 +0000

Examining historical climatic shifts, researchers have identified how vegetation’s response to drastic temperature increases can extend the warming period for millennia. Disruption of the functioning of vegetation due to warming can lead to the failure of climate regulating mechanisms for millions of years. Vegetation changes can alter the planet’s climate equilibrium. Geological and climatic history [...]

Decoding the Domino Effect: Climate Tipping Risks at 1.5°C Overshoot

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:06:32 +0000

Current climate policies imply a high risk for tipping of critical Earth system elements, even if temperatures return to below 1.5°C of global warming after a period of overshoot. A new study indicates that these risks can be minimized if warming is swiftly reversed. Anthropogenic climate change poses a risk to critical components of the [...]

Melting Mystery Solved: Why Ice Sheets Shrink Faster Than They Grow

University of Colorado at Boulder — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 06:16:56 +0000

A study reveals that warming more significantly impacts the firn layer on the Greenland Ice Sheet than cooling, complicating efforts to reverse melting through geoengineering. Scientists have long understood from ice core research that melting an ice sheet is easier than refreezing it. A recent study published in The Cryosphere reveals part of the reason: [...]

Scientists Find Nitrogen Emissions Cool the Climate – Could This Really Help Solve Climate Change?

University of Sydney — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 19:14:23 +0000

A study reveals that nitrogen emissions have a cooling effect on the climate, but their overall environmental impact, including pollution and exacerbation of global warming, necessitates urgent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. An international team of researchers has discovered that nitrogen emissions from fertilizers and fossil fuels contribute to a net cooling effect on the [...]

How Close Are We to the Climate’s Point of No Return?

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 09:00:48 +0000

Researchers highlight the severe risks of destabilizing Earth’s tipping elements like ice sheets and ocean currents due to climate change, emphasizing the need to maintain the 1.5 °C limit set by the Paris Agreement to avoid dire future consequences. Failure to adhere to these limits increases the likelihood of tipping events, which are significant changes [...]

Why Methane Might Be the Key to Beating Climate Change

Frontiers — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:00:20 +0000

Methane, the second most important greenhouse gas, has been neglected—but now scientists lay out a new plan and a new tool to cut emissions down to size. Researchers stress the importance of swiftly reducing methane emissions to address climate change, suggesting a mix of regulatory and economic strategies alongside public action to curb emissions from [...]

Sensor-Equipped Seals Uncover New Seawater Pathways Around Antarctica

Lori Dajose, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 20:22:09 +0000

Researchers have discovered that the meltwater from Antarctic ice shelves, exacerbated by climate change, is contributing to a complex network of ocean currents that influence ice melting across the continent. Researchers at Caltech have used data from autonomous underwater vehicles and sensor-equipped seals to trace these meltwater pathways in the poorly studied Bellingshausen Sea. Their [...]

Unprecedented Recovery: Ozone Layer Heals Ahead of Schedule

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 06:24:39 +0000

Recent findings indicate significant reductions in hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), harmful to both the ozone layer and climate. This success, stemming from the Montreal Protocol, shows that global efforts to phase out these substances are effective, with reductions exceeding earlier predictions. A new study by an international team of researchers has revealed significant progress in the drive [...]

Tiny Cracks, Global Impact: MIT Uncovers How Microscopic Ice Defects Shape Glaciers

Jennifer Chu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:15:02 +0000

MIT researchers have developed a new model to predict glacier flow by studying microscopic defects in ice, revealing significant variations in how ice responds to environmental stresses. This model helps better predict the rate of sea-level rise by capturing the nuanced behaviors of ice sheets, particularly in Antarctica, enhancing predictions about climate-driven sea-level changes. Glacier [...]

Slushy Surprise: AI Reveals Twice As Much Meltwater on Antarctic Ice Shelves

University of Cambridge — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 09:00:18 +0000

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have used artificial intelligence to map the distribution of slush on Antarctic ice shelves, discovering that it accounts for 57% of all meltwater. This finding is significant as slush absorbs more solar heat compared to ice and snow, potentially leading to increased ice shelf instability and accelerated sea level [...]

Global Efforts Pay Off: Scientific Insights Into a Key Environmental Victory

University of Bristol — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

New research indicates a decline in hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in the atmosphere, confirming the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol in regulating substances that harm the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Significant progress in reducing atmospheric concentrations of chemicals harmful to Earth’s ozone layer has been revealed by a new study. It confirms the success [...]

Scientists Warn: Rate of Human-Caused Global Warming at All-Time High

University of Leeds — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 23:01:26 +0000

Latest climate report indicates a concerning increase in human-induced warming and a rapidly diminishing carbon budget, underscoring the urgent need for global climate action. The second annual Indicators of Global Climate Change report, reveals that human-induced warming has risen to 1.19 °C over the past decade (2014-2023) – an increase from the 1.14 °C seen [...]

Sexual Parasitism: Anglerfish’s Strategy To Conquer the Deep Sea Amid Global Warming

Cell Press — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:21:21 +0000

Research published in the scientific journal Current Biology reveals that sexual parasitism in anglerfishes originated during a major global warming event that led to their transition from the ocean floor to the deep sea. This adaptation facilitated rapid species diversification in the midnight zone of the oceans, influenced by both genetic and anatomical factors. Evolution [...]

Beneath the Ice: The Silent Surge Threatening the “Doomsday Glacier”

University of Waterloo — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:41:28 +0000

Satellite data provides the first evidence of warm ocean water intrusion beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier. For the first time, visible evidence has been captured showing warm seawater pumping beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Glacier. It earned this ominous nickname because of its massive size and the significant role it plays in global [...]

Heatwaves Kill: New Study Reveals Shocking Mortality Rates Across the Globe

Monash University — Sat, 25 May 2024 08:06:37 +0000

First study to globally map heatwave-related mortality finds 153,000+ heatwave-related deaths per season globally from 1990-2019, with Asia hardest hit. A Monash-led study – the first to globally map heatwave-related mortality over a three-decade period from 1990 to 2019 – has found that an additional 153,000+ deaths per warm season were associated with heatwaves, with [...]

New Research: Gloom and Doom Warnings About Climate Change Do Not Work

Norwegian University of Science and Technology — Wed, 22 May 2024 22:56:37 +0000

We must find ways to motivate people if we want them to take action to curb climate change. To effectively communicate about climate change and global warming, it’s crucial to tailor your message to suit your target audience and your goals. Researchers have created an app designed to assist individuals keen on raising awareness about [...]

Doomsday Glacier’s Ticking Clock: Satellites Reveal “Vigorous Melting” Beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier

University of California - Irvine — Wed, 22 May 2024 07:45:28 +0000

Satellite radar data shows substantial seawater intrusion beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, causing ice to rise and fall. Using high-resolution satellite radar data, a team of glaciologists led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine uncovered evidence of the intrusion of warm, high-pressure seawater many kilometers beneath the grounded ice of West Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier. [...]

Heatwaves Responsible for 150,000+ Deaths Annually

PLOS — Tue, 14 May 2024 18:00:42 +0000

More than 150,000 people per year are estimated to have died from heatwaves around the globe and the new study reveals regional disparities in heatwave deaths. Between 1990 and 2019, more than 150,000 deaths around the world were associated with heat waves each year. This is according to a new study published today (May 14th) [...]

Tree Rings Reveal 2023 Was the Hottest Summer in 2,000 Years

University of Cambridge — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:00:42 +0000

2023’s summer was the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere in 2000 years, surpassing natural climate variability, as shown by tree-ring data. This breach of the 2015 Paris Agreement’s warming limit highlights the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists have discovered that 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in the past two [...]

Bumblebees on the Brink: Overheating Nests Threaten Pollinator Populations

Frontiers — Fri, 03 May 2024 04:00:52 +0000

Wild bumblebees all over the world need a similar nest temperature — with global warming driving temperatures up, their nests could be too hot for them to thrive. As a result of the climate crisis, global warming is driving up temperatures around the world — and bumblebees, like humans, are struggling to cope with homes [...]

Antarctica’s Ice on Edge: 2024’s Near Record Low Predictions

Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:22:30 +0000

In 2023, amid rising global concerns about the warmest year on record and record-high ocean temperatures, attention turned to the Antarctic sea ice. Following a record low in February 2023, the expansion of Antarctic sea ice was unusually slow, reaching an anomaly of -2.809 million square kilometers by July 6, 2023. After setting new minimum [...]

Climate Crisis To Cost World $59 Trillion in Worst-Case Scenario, Study Finds

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 05:39:31 +0000

A new study published in Nature suggests that even with significant reductions in CO2 emissions starting today, the global economy is poised to experience a 19% decrease in income by 2050 due to the impacts of climate change. According to the study, the economic damages are six times greater than the costs required to keep [...]