Past studies underestimated a major pollution source, particularly in rural areas.
Hazards & Disasters
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A Look at How Long-Banned PCBs Persist in the Ocean
A new study tracks how climatic factors like sea ice cover and ocean circulation affect the life span and distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in the world’s oceans.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Enabling Dynamic, Regional-Scale Modelling of Outburst Floods
The GeoClaw model is used to simulate a landslide-dam outburst flood through rugged Himalayan topography.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
As Sea Levels Rise, Expect More Floods
A new study unveils the increasing exposure of coastal communities to minor and extreme floods as sea levels rise.
Posted inNews
Burning Fossil Fuels Worsens Drought
Tree rings help scientists trace the influence of greenhouse gas emissions on 20th-century drought conditions.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Calculating the Risk of Rare Floods
The first spatially realistic catalog of synthetic flood event risk across the entire United States uncovers high-risk areas and estimates the probability of another Katrina–level flood loss.
Posted inNews
New Eyes on Wildfires
Onboard machine learning and compact thermal imaging could turn satellites into real-time fire management tools to help officials on the ground.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Previous Research Has Underestimated Black Carbon Emissions
New observational constraints suggest that U.S. emissions of this heat-absorbing aerosol were 80% higher during the late 20th century than prior estimates have indicated.
Posted inScience Updates
Sharing Data Helps Puerto Ricans Rebound After Hurricane Maria
Recent hurricane seasons left many communities wondering if this is the new normal. Digital infrastructure designed for citizen data collection may help these communities increase resilience.
Posted inNews
California Heat Waves Triggered by Pacific Thunderstorms
New link may offer 5-week lead time on predicting extreme heat in California’s fruit belt.