New research highlights differences in drought and flood hazards globally under 1.5°C versus 2°C temperature increases and estimates associated human and economic effects.
Hazards & Disasters
Record Locust Swarms Hint at What’s to Come with Climate Change
Warming oceans that feed cyclones have also bred record-breaking swarms of desert locusts. Such plagues could grow bigger and more widespread with climate change.
Great Plains Plants Bounce Back After Large Wildfires
An analysis of nearly 1,400 wildfires suggests that some postfire techniques used to help restore vegetation may be unnecessary.
Land Motion Offers Insights into Cascadia Earthquake Cycle
Comparing recent GPS data with a longer record of sea level along the western coast of North America allows researchers to home in on interseismic deformation above the Cascadia megathrust.
Heavy Rains, Human Activity, and Rising Waters at Lake Victoria
Water levels in Africa’s largest lake have risen over a meter since last fall and continue to increase as land use changes and heavy rains enhance the flow.
Five Things Spy Satellites Have Taught Us About Earth
Long before we had satellites beaming terabytes of data back to Earth, we had covert spacecraft the size of school buses snapping photos on rolls of film 50 kilometers long.
When Natural Disasters Cross the Path of COVID-19
Natural hazards are intersecting with the coronavirus pandemic in India, and researchers will need to model both to inform the public health response.
Will COVID’s Cleaner Skies Muddy Climate Models?
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions for a year or two won’t slow down climate change, but they may throw off scientists’ ability to model short-term phenomena.
Space Weather Lessons from a 1928 Dirigible Debacle
Analysis of a disrupted SOS signal during an early polar expedition showcases the importance of taking space weather into account when exploring new frontiers.
Dust in the Wind: Human Impacts to the Colorado Front Range
A recent increase in airborne dust has been attributed to both climate and land use, with human activity playing a substantial role, especially in summertime at low elevations.