Between 2000 and 2020, 42% of tree lines around the world crept upward, largely because of climate change. But 25% moved downhill, seemingly because of factors such as land use changes and wildfires.
News
Eastern Africa Is Splitting Apart, but Not Where We Expected
The Turkana Rift Zone in Kenya entered a critical stage in continental breakup about 4 million years ago.
Most of the U.S. West Will Face Above-Normal Wildfire Risk This Summer
The National Interagency Fire Center predicts elevated wildfire potential across much of the West and many Southeast states through August.
Urban Methane Emissions Are Rising, Despite Cities’ Pledges
Eyes in the sky could help cities get on track to decrease emissions of the potent greenhouse gas—and monitor whether their efforts are working.
Interstellar Comet Was Born in a Very Cold Place
3I/ATLAS’s chemistry suggests that it formed in a much colder environment than our solar system did.
This Arctic Atlas Shows Where Oil and Gas Activities Overlap with Wildlife and Indigenous Communities
To slow climate change, the world must keep its fossil fuels in the ground. New maps of Arctic activities show where resources should stay put.
The Forensics of a Skyscraper-Sized Tsunami
A landslide in Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska created the second-largest tsunami on record. A new analysis links this abrupt event to the retreat of a glacier and, ultimately, to climate change.
Moon Mission Data Reveal Unexpected Cosmic Ray “Shadow”
A particle detector on the Chang’e-4 lunar lander showed a surprising zone of reduced radiation stretching out from Earth at a strange angle, with potential implications for future astronauts.
As the Coal Industry Fades, Life Expectancies in Coal Country Shift
Coal mining brings a slew of risks to communities, but “being employed is good for your health.”
Antibiotic Resistance Might Get a Boost from Droughts
Drought has the potential to turn normal soils into perfect breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, new research has found.
