Regional weather variability and climate change make operating the canal a challenge.
News
Unregulated Industrial Contaminants Detected in Some U.S. Drinking Water
Communities of color are more likely to have higher levels of these contaminants in their drinking water.
We’re About to Reach the Paris Agreement Limit, If We Haven’t Already
Earth has probably already entered the 20-year period in which global temperatures will be, on average, 1.5°C (2.7°F) higher than preindustrial conditions.
Rice Paddies, Like Cows, Spew Methane. A New Variety Makes Them a Lot Less Gassy.
Rice plants are a big source of methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Scientists just developed a strain that cuts those emissions by 70 percent.
Megadroughts Have Grown in Size and Scope
A new study maps and ranks the largest, longest-lasting, and most severe multiyear droughts from 1980 to 2018.
Arctic Ice Is Getting Smoother and Moving Faster
A decrease in pressure ridges over the past 3 decades is making the ice more uniform, with unclear consequences.
Boreal Forests May Be on the Move
A new model shows a tendency for tree cover to decline in warmer areas and increase in colder ones.
Magma Beneath Yellowstone Is Shifting Northeast
Though the volcano’s magma chambers could hold enough material for a caldera-forming event, none of them are likely to erupt soon.
The Deleterious Dust of the Salton Sea
Coarse particulate matter deriving from California’s largest lake is linked to an increased risk of respiratory-related hospitalizations.
Pluto Captured Charon with a Kiss
A newly understood collision mechanism could explain some peculiarities of Pluto and its moons.