Heat, drought and wildfires: Torrid spell torments Portugal
Portugal is bracing for a heat wave, with temperatures in some areas forecast to climb as high as 43 C (109 F) this weekend just as a severe drought grips the country......»»
Modeling study suggests heat-related deaths in Europe could triple by century"s end under current climate policies
Deaths from heat could triple in Europe by 2100 under current climate policies, mostly among people living in southern parts of the continent, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal......»»
Study tracks decades of extreme heat, cold in Upper Midwest
Researchers analyzed meteorological data from nine Upper Midwest states from 1979–2021, tracking trends in extreme heat and cold over every 4-kilometer square of that territory. They found striking regional differences in the extremes. Many parts o.....»»
The underrated impact of humidity in predicting heat-related deaths
Governments, medical institutions and other bodies require accurate models on health-related matters in order to better organize their activities......»»
From embers to crisis: The expanding threat of wildfires under global warming
Globally, wildfires are on the rise, driven by climate change, which exacerbates droughts and high temperatures. These fires contribute significantly to carbon emissions and particulate matter (PM2.5), with severe consequences for both climate stabil.....»»
Quenching the intense heat of a fusion plasma may require a well-placed liquid metal evaporator
Inside the next generation of fusion vessels known as spherical tokamaks, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) envisioned a hot region with flowing liquid metal that is reminiscent of a subterranean.....»»
Chalk-based coating creates a cooling fabric
In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside—athletes, landscapers, kids at the park or beachgoers—could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or transfer heat away from the bo.....»»
Ancient civilizations had ways to counter the urban heat island effect—how history"s lessons apply to cities today
As intense heat breaks records around the world, a little-reported fact offers some hope for cooling down cities: Under even the most intense periods of extreme heat, some city blocks never experience heat wave temperatures......»»
Amazonian drought may have long-lasting effects on carbon cycle
The 2015–2016 El Niño hit the Amazon basin hard, causing a drought that severely reduced aboveground vegetation and caused the basin to release nearly 1 gigaton of carbon into the atmosphere......»»
Less severe forest fires can reduce intensity of future blazes
Not all forest fires have devastating effects. Low- and moderate-severity forest wildfires can reduce the intensity of future conflagrations for as long as 20 years in certain climates, according to new research by the University of California, Davis.....»»
The pioneering sugarcane variety transforming China"s sugar industry
A research team at the Liucheng Sugarcane Research Units (LC-SRU) developed the fifth-generation sugarcane variety LC05-136, which has become a flagship in China due to its high yield, high sugar content, and strong tolerance to drought and cold stre.....»»
The Run of Record-Breaking Heat Has Ended, for Now
Air temperatures in July 2024 were fractionally cooler than in July 2023, probably because of a waning El Niño. But don’t expect things to be much cooler in coming years......»»
During a heat wave, temperatures not the only threat: expert
Spain has just emerged from a 21-day heat wave that engulfed Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza, posing a health threat which extends far beyond the actual temperature, according to Julio Diaz, a researcher at Madrid's Carlos III Health Institute......»»
Seoul residents sweating with record "tropical nights" weather
Residents of South Korea's capital are resorting to novel ways to beat the heat as a century-old weather record fell Friday following a 26th "tropical night" in a row—when the temperature stays above 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit)......»»
Wildfires are increasing toxic mercury in streams in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, study finds
Wildfires have been burning across Idaho this summer, and their list of harmful impacts is long, from worsening health conditions because of smoke to challenges recovering millions in costs to fight them......»»
Wildfires are growing under climate change, and their smoke threatens farmworkers, study says
As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes......»»
Extreme heat exposure on the rise for millions of kids: UN
Nearly half a billion children are facing twice as many days of extreme heat each year—or more—than their grandparents did, the UN said Tuesday, warning of deadly consequences......»»
Mediterranean Sea temperatures match 2023 records
The temperatures of the Mediterranean Sea in recent days have reached heat records set last summer, the main Spanish maritime research center told AFP Tuesday, with marine heat waves in some places exceeding 30 degrees Celsius......»»
Antarctica winter experiences prolonged heat wave
Antarctica, the world's coldest continent, is experiencing an exceptionally long heat wave during its winter, according to Britain's national polar research institute......»»
Study reveals urban trees suffer more from heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts
A recently published study in Ecological Applications details how trees in New York City and Boston are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than trees of the same species in nearby rural forests. The finding, made by researchers at the.....»»
Climate change raised the odds of unprecedented wildfires in 2023–24, say scientists
Unprecedented wildfires in Canada and parts of Amazonia last year were at least three times more likely due to climate change and contributed to high levels of CO2 emissions from burning globally, according to the first edition of a new systematic an.....»»