More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest
U.S. officials would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that's been in place for three decad.....»»
Rising mercury pollution in soil could be related to climate change, study suggests
In 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury went into effect, designed to help curb mercury emissions and limit exposure across the globe. However, a new study of mercury levels in soil suggests that the treaty's provisions might not be enough. A stu.....»»
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.....»»
Opinion: Australian gambling industry is pulling out all the stops to prevent an ad ban, but the evidence is against it
With parliament sitting this week, the federal government is trying to finalize its proposed laws to limit gambling advertising......»»
New evidence from West Papua offers fresh clues about how and when humans first moved into the Pacific
In the deep human past, highly skilled seafarers made daring crossings from Asia to the Pacific Islands. It was a migration of global importance that shaped the distribution of our species—Homo sapiens—across the planet......»»
Wildfires don"t just burn farmland—they can contaminate water farmers use to irrigate crops and support livestock
The wildfires that burned across Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023 became the deadliest conflagration in the United States in more than a century. While the harm to homes and tourism drew the most attention, agriculture was also heavily affected across th.....»»
Study reveals Canadian wildfires are affecting US air quality and raising health concerns
Rutgers researchers examined particulate matter from a June 2023 fire that triggered advisories for more than 100 million Americans in the Northeast......»»
Residents flee as Greece wildfires rage despite "superhuman" efforts
Greece ordered fresh evacuations near Athens on Monday as wildfires spread despite "superhuman" efforts to contain the flames, firefighters said......»»
Greece wildfires force hundreds to evacuate
Greece on Sunday was battling a spate of wildfires which have forced the evacuation of hundreds of people, as experts warn of more extreme weather conditions to come next week......»»
Historic fires trapped in Antarctic ice yield key information for climate models
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey tracked fire activity over the past 150 years by measuring carbon monoxide trapped in Antarctic ice. This gas is released, along with smoke and particulates, by wildfires,.....»»
Tracking the restorative effects of good fire
A few miles south of Yosemite's famed Glacier Point, ringed by striking granite domes, lies the Illilouette Basin. This small stretch of the Sierra Nevada Mountains has become a sort of fire laboratory, a place where natural wildfires have been allow.....»»
Why wildfires are getting more dangerous
After more than a year of record-breaking heat, the peak of fire season is approaching across vast swathes of our green planet......»»
A rare aid success story has brought riches to a hardscrabble corner of the Pacific. Will it last?
There is so much money sloshing around these days in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea, the stores are running short of goods and some locals are partying until dawn......»»
Some Trees ‘Hold Their Breath’ during Wildfires
When wildfire smoke is in the air, some trees essentially shut their windows and doors and hold their breath.....»»
Thunderstorms Have Caused $45 Billion in Damages in the U.S. in Just Six Months
Damage from high-frequency storms is rising faster than losses from major disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires.....»»
Drone flights and 3D scans: Scientist uses cutting-edge tech to protect Madagascar"s vulnerable forests
In a new study published today in the journal Plants, People, Planet, scientist Jenny Williams from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, highlights how the use of drones can help curb the loss of Madagascar's biodiverse forests through illegal deforestati.....»»
Treatment with smoke can favor seed germination in Brazil"s Cerrado biome
For thousands of years, plants have evolved in the presence of wildfires in the Cerrado, Brazil's savanna-like biome. Scientists at São Paulo State University (UNESP) studied the effect of smoke on seed germination for 44 plant species typical of th.....»»
Forests destroyed by wildfires emit carbon long after the flames die—new study
Even in Earth's high northern-latitude forest, climate change is predicted to make wildfires more frequent and severe......»»
Machine learning and better radar solve the "cloud cover" problem
Clouds have for decades been a bugbear for remote sensing of land surface temperature—one of the most important earth system metrics, used in everything from tracking climate change to predicting wildfires. A new approach incorporating machine lear.....»»
U.S. expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles
The Biden administration plans to issue a proposed rule that would bar Chinese software in vehicles in the United States with Level 3 automation and above......»»
Wildfires in Colorado burn dozens of homes and structures, threaten hundreds more
A wildfire burning in Colorado's heavily populated Front Range region has burned dozens of homes and outbuildings, while a second fire crept within a quarter-mile of evacuated homes near Denver on Thursday......»»