From a distance, a downburst can look like a torrent of heavy rain. But at ground level, its behavior can be far more destructive.
In the warm summertime waters of Lake Erie, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can proliferate out of control, creating algal blooms that produce toxins at a rate that can harm wildlife and human health.
Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. Tiny fragments called microplastics—ranging from 1 micron to 5 millimeters—make up the vast majority of plastic pieces found and pose serious risks to ocean health.
Trees, parks, wetlands and green roofs can no longer be seen as a "nice-to-have" aesthetic enhancement but a vital component for creating climate-resilient, healthier and more equitable cities, according to an international paper led by the University of Surrey's Global Center for Clean Air Research (GCARE).
Research shows that communities are best able to mitigate the effects of climate change when they can work alongside scientists on adaptation plans. B. Hanson and colleagues recently extended this finding to Indigenous communities in the Colorado Plateau, including members of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Their study is published in Community Science.
Albania's coast is being hit by a double whammy of climate change and chaotic tourist development.
The head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on Wednesday criticized US President Donald Trump's order to fast-track deep-sea mining in the open ocean outside American territorial waters.
A new lifecycle study published in Sustainability Science and Technology has discovered a promising alternative to plastic sanitary products, potentially leading to far reduced sanitary waste. Sanitary pads made with cornstarch are 17 times more environmentally friendly compared to plastic equivalents.
As droughts worsen and water shortages hit communities worldwide, a new study in the journal Decision Analysis has uncovered a smarter way to get people to save water—without breaking the bank.
State and federal officials said they are working with a chemical manufacturing plant in Wyandotte on a "two-pronged approach" to limit the flow of contaminated groundwater into the Detroit River.
Analyzing lava flows that solidified and then broke apart over a massive crack in Earth's crust in Turkey has brought new insights into how continents move over time, improving our understanding of earthquake risks.
Between 252 and 66 million years ago, the ocean underwent a revolution. That's when plankton with calcium carbonate skeletons colonized the open ocean. When they died, their remains fell like snow over large parts of the seafloor. The abundance of their skeletons over time changed the marine landscape, leading to unique rock formations and vast deposits of carbonate rock.
Imagine a natural fortress standing strong against raging storms. That's what mangroves and other forested wetlands do for our coastlines. But how well do they protect us, and against which storms?
Increasing urban vegetation by 30% could have saved more than one-third of all heat-related deaths, saving up to 1.16 million lives globally from 2000 to 2019 according to a 20-year modeling study of the impact of increasing greenness in more than 11,000 urban areas.
For communities living in the shadow of a volcano, early warning systems are a lifeline—but mistrust in these warnings can have deadly consequences. To avoid false alarms, it is vital that scientists seek more reliable ways to monitor volcanoes.
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