Sea ice in the Arctic has likely hit its maximum extent for the year, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said on 26 March. That maximum extent is one of the lowest ever recorded, tying last year’s record for the least sea ice coverage in the 48-year observational record.
seasonal variability
Posted inNews
Shrinking Sea Ice Is Ruffling Emperor Penguins’ Feathers
A scientist stumbled upon evidence of penguin molting sites in satellite data, but the sea ice these birds rely on is disappearing.
Posted inNews
Earth’s “Green Wave” Is on the Move
Researchers analyzed 40 years of satellite data and found that Earth’s seasonal wave of greenness is shifting northeast.
Posted inNews
When the Snow Melts, Microbes Bloom
A new study illuminates a complex and changing world of microbes and nitrogen cycling that occurs during the winter.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How the Spring Thaw Influences Arsenic Levels in Lakes
Four lakes near Yellowknife, Canada, show that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Posted inNews
Could Future Mars Habitats Be Made of Ice?
Models suggest that clear ice, sourced and distilled on Mars, could offer a feasible alternative for building stable off-world structures.
Posted inNews
Changing Winters Leave Indigenous Alaskans on Thin Ice
Researchers are blending Indigenous Knowledges with climate models to describe shifts in snow and ice.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Wintertime Spike in Oceanic Iron Levels Detected near Hawaii
Seasonal rainfall and runoff of sediments from the Hawaiian Islands could be responsible for the previously undetected peak.
Posted inNews
Grandes Sequias Coincidieron con el Colapso Maya Clásico
El entendimiento de cómo las ciudades individuales respondieron al estrés climático ayudará a crear imágenes holísticas de cómo estas sociedades funcionaban.
Posted inOpinions
Scientists Must Join Forces to Solve Forecasting’s Predictability Desert
To strengthen societal resilience to worsening natural hazards, siloed Earth system science communities must collaborate to understand conditions that favor skillful subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasts.