A new study reports that streamflow drought is getting more intense in some parts of the United States, a phenomenon that is stressing the nation’s water policy and infrastructure.
Jennifer Schmidt
Ancient Nile Tributary May Have Aided Pyramid Construction
Pollen from sediment cores shows that a now dry channel cutting through Giza was once a flowing waterway that Egyptian pyramid builders could have used to transport supplies.
Early Life Learned to Love Oxygen Long Before It Was Cool
Laboratory experiments show that earthquakes may have helped early life evolve in an oxygen-free world.
Major Investment in Air-Conditioning Needed to Address Future Heat Waves
More than 80% of urban residents will need AC by the 2050s, but many of the world’s poorer countries may struggle to meet that demand.
Stretching Crust Explains Earth’s 170,000-Year-Long Heat Wave
During a brief period in Earth’s past, a massive emission of carbon abruptly raised global temperatures, acidified oceans, and stamped out species. New data may help explain how it happened.
Earth’s Wobbly Inner Core Illuminated by Nuclear Explosions
Shock waves from Cold War era nuclear tests gave seismologists a glimpse of the inner core. Its wobbly rotation could explain phenomena such as the periodic change in the length of a day.
Fossil Fuels Drive Increase in Atmospheric Helium
After decades of uncertainty, scientists have finally shown that fossil fuel extraction has flooded the atmosphere with 4He.
Crowdsourced Weather Projects Boost Climate Science Research
Historic observations, manually transcribed from handwritten records, are giving scientists a fresh glimpse into Victorian era climate.
Planting Wetlands Could Help Stave Off Climate Catastrophe
A shift in priority and approach to wetland restoration could reduce atmospheric carbon.
Endangered Rivers Plagued by Pollution, Climate Change, and Outdated Management
The annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers includes practical calls to action to turn the tide on threatened U.S. waterways.