Climate

Oceans

Ocean heat waves are on the rise — and killing coral

Ocean heat waves are becoming hotter and more frequent. And one can be blamed for the 2016 coral deaths on the Great Barrier Reef.

Climate

Analyze This: Climate change could make food less healthy

Levels of important nutrients are lower in crops exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. How high? Try levels expected to be typical 30 years from now.

Physics

Explainer: What is thundersnow?

Wacky weather produced lots of thundersnow during New England’s recent winter storms. Some scientists now suspect Mother Nature got some human help.

Climate

Super-tiny pollutants may help fire up fierce storms

Tiny pollutant particles floating in air may help create clouds and wind, strengthening storms.

Animals

Rising carbon dioxide could leave tiny lake dwellers defenseless

Rising carbon dioxide in freshwater lakes may change how predators and prey interact.

Climate

Climate change threatens future Winter Olympics

Higher temperatures, less snow mean many former Winter Olympics sites soon will no longer qualify to host future games, concludes a new analysis.

Climate

A meteor explodes over Michigan

Here’s how scientists tracked down the source of a heavenly explosion over rural Michigan, last week.

Physics

Explainer: Winds and where they come from

Temperature and pressure are critical factors affecting why the wind blows where it does. Understanding the nature of wind can teach us a lot about weather.

Climate

Scientists at last link some extreme weather to human activities

Scientists say that research shows several of 2016’s extreme weather events would never have happened without the help of human-caused climate change.

Climate

Wacky winter dumps snow on every single U.S. state

Here’s a look at the meteorology behind the unusual winter weather that hit the United States in late 2017 and early 2018.

Earth

Giant volcanoes lurk beneath Antarctic ice

One of the largest volcanic areas on Earth was recently discovered hiding beneath West Antarctic’s ice sheet. What does it spell for the future of that ice?

Ecosystems

Here’s why scientists have been fertilizing the Arctic

For more than 30 years, scientists have been fertilizing small parcels of Arctic tundra. Here’s what happens when you push an ecosystem to the brink.