Climate Change News - SciTechDaily

Challenging Climate Models: Unexpectedly Large Methane Source Discovered in Overlooked Landscape

University of Alaska Fairbanks — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 05:30:02 +0000

Scientists found unexpected methane emissions in Alaska’s drylands, suggesting these areas could significantly contribute to climate change, contrary to previous models. When Katey Walter Anthony heard rumors of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, ballooning under the lawns of fellow Fairbanks residents, she nearly didn’t believe it. “I ignored it for years because I thought ‘I [...]

Can PrISMa Save Our Planet? Inside the New Carbon Capture Phenomenon

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:24:39 +0000

PrISMa revolutionizes the field of carbon capture by combining insights from materials science, engineering, and economic analysis to predict the effectiveness of new technologies. This innovative platform not only enhances the development of carbon capture solutions but also ensures their sustainability and economic viability, effectively closing the gap between laboratory research and practical implementation. Mitigating [...]

Greenland’s Ice Sheet Isn’t As Solid as We Thought – and That’s Terrifying

University of Vermont — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:24:48 +0000

New evidence shows Greenland’s ice sheet once melted completely, revealing a tundra below. This suggests increased vulnerability to climate change and significant potential sea level rises. New research provides the first direct evidence that the center, not just the edges, of Greenland’s ice sheet melted in the recent geological past and the now-ice-covered island was [...]

The Surprising Way Climate Change Could Make Soil More Toxic

American Chemical Society — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:00:59 +0000

The Minamata Convention on Mercury aims to reduce global mercury emissions, but a recent study suggests these efforts may not be enough. Researchers found that soil holds far more mercury than previously estimated, particularly in plant-dense areas and regions with permafrost. As climate change promotes vegetation growth, this could lead to increased soil mercury levels, [...]

Groundbreaking Antarctic Survey Reveals Hidden Patterns in Ice Shelf Melting

University of East Anglia — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 10:22:17 +0000

Scientists have used a submersible to map the underside of Antarctica’s Dotson Ice Shelf, revealing rapid melting and unusual patterns that contribute to understanding sea level rise. The research highlights the need for improved predictive models and continued exploration to comprehend future changes in ice shelf dynamics. The first detailed maps of the underside of [...]

Climate Change Predictions May Be Underestimated – Aerosol Study Reveals New Insights

Chiba University — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 23:22:23 +0000

Researchers suggest a novel metric that employs aerosols to explore shifts in cross-border air pollution routes caused by climate variations. Climate change stands as one of the most pressing environmental challenges today, contributing to extreme weather events such as droughts, wildfires, and floods. The main cause of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases [...]

Defying Expectations: Mature Trees Show Significant New Growth Amid Rising CO2

University of Birmingham — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:22:28 +0000

Mature forests are critical in the fight against climate change – extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and locking it into new wood. In a groundbreaking study, researchers demonstrated that older trees can significantly increase woody biomass production in response to elevated CO2 levels, challenging previous beliefs about mature forests. The findings, derived from [...]

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, [...]

Andean Glaciers Reach Historic Lows: A Dire Warning for Global Climate

University of Wisconsin-Madison — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 15:54:23 +0000

Recent research shows that Andes glaciers are shrinking to sizes unseen since the last ice age due to global warming, possibly forecasting similar future trends for global glaciers. As they are in many places around the globe, glaciers perched high in the Andes Mountains are shrinking. Now, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and their [...]

This Platform Could Change Carbon Capture Forever: PrISMa Overcomes the “Valley of Death”

Heriot-Watt University — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 12:27:28 +0000

Scientists have introduced PrISMa, a groundbreaking platform integrating advanced simulations and machine learning to accelerate the discovery and implementation of carbon capture materials. This platform evaluates potential materials through a comprehensive process involving quantum chemistry and life-cycle assessment, proving effective in global case studies and cutting costs significantly in industries like cement manufacturing. A major [...]

Groundbreaking Antarctic Glacier Survey Reveals Hidden Secrets

New York University — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 22:30:55 +0000

First comprehensive maps of a glacier’s underside, created using an autonomous underwater vehicle, provide insights into potential future sea-level changes. An international research team used an autonomous underwater vehicle, Ran, to create detailed maps of the underside of the Dotson Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Their findings reveal new patterns and features that challenge previous assumptions [...]

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 [...]

New Research Shows Antarctic Uplift Could Reduce Sea Level Rise by 40%

Ohio State University — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 10:03:07 +0000

The study finds that the effects will vary depending on the level of control over global warming. A new study suggests that the uplifting terrain beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet could significantly impact sea level rise in the future. Despite feeling like a stationary mass, most solid ground is undergoing a process of deformation, sinking, [...]

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 [...]

Antarctic Ice Melt: New Study Highlights Urgency of Emission Reductions

McGill University — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:27:07 +0000

A McGill-led study finds that understanding the relationship between the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the underlying earth is crucial for predicting the impacts of future climate change. A study led by McGill University indicates that Earth’s natural processes may significantly mitigate Antarctica’s contribution to rising sea levels, provided that carbon emissions are rapidly curtailed in [...]

Fundamentally Altering Earth’s Glacial Cycles: Antarctic Ice Sheet Growth Triggers Mid-Pleistocene Climate Shift

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 12:16:18 +0000

New research has revealed that the growth of the Antarctic ice sheet was crucial in triggering the longer, more intense glacial cycles of the mid-Pleistocene, reshaping our understanding of global climate dynamics. Recent collaborative research led by Professor An Zhisheng from the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has highlighted the [...]

Cryospheric Collapse: Andean Glaciers Retreat Unseen in Over 11,700 Years

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 05:33:09 +0000

A new study indicates that Andean tropical glaciers have shrunk to their smallest sizes in over 11,700 years, signaling a severe impact of modern global warming. Researchers used cosmogenic nucleotide measurements from bedrock samples near Andean glaciers to show that these glaciers are currently smaller than at any point during the Holocene. This finding underscores [...]

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 [...]

Revolutionary Submarine Discovers Ice Shelf Mysteries, Then Disappears Without a Trace

University of Gothenburg — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:15:29 +0000

Using the unmanned submarine Ran, researchers mapped the underside of West Antarctica’s Dotson Ice Shelf, uncovering complex ice formations and significant melt areas driven by underwater currents, crucial for enhancing sea level rise predictions. An international research team from the University of Gothenburg deployed the unmanned submarine ‘Ran’ beneath the thick ice of Antarctica. They [...]

Ice in Crisis: Andean Glaciers Have Retreated to Lowest Levels in 11,700 Years

Boston College — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:00:24 +0000

No longer covered in ice, Andean rocks signal the world’s glaciers are melting far faster than predicted. Tropical glaciers have reached their smallest size in over 11,700 years, according to a study in Science by Boston College researchers. Utilizing isotope analysis of rocks near Andean glaciers, evidence indicates these glaciers are smaller than at any [...]

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 [...]

“Incredibly Worrying” – Alaskan Glacier Melting Accelerates, Approaching Irreversible Tipping Point

Newcastle University — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:57:58 +0000

Recent research indicates a significant acceleration in the melting of the Juneau Icefield glaciers in Alaska, with glacier loss rates doubling since 2010 and potentially leading to irreversible declines earlier than predicted. This accelerated melting and increased fragmentation could necessitate revising future projections of glacier retreat and sea level rise. New research indicates that glaciers [...]

Beyond Expectations: Reforestation Can Remove 10x More CO2 From the Atmosphere Than Previously Estimated

Duke University — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:13:32 +0000

A study in Nature Climate Change suggests that reforestation in developing countries can sequester up to ten times more carbon at lower costs than previously estimated. The research advocates for a balanced approach using both natural regeneration and tree planting to optimize carbon capture. Economic incentives like carbon payments and timber sales can further enhance [...]