Environment Archives - Page 44 of 44

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Climate Change Poses Growing Risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Third Pole Region

Breaking News, Environment, Thoughts & Talks

December 17, 2023, A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has raised climate change alarms about the increasing threat of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Third Pole region, encompassing the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tianshan Mountain ranges. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have highlighted the vulnerability of this ecologically crucial area to the impacts of climate change. The research indicates that the expansion of glacial lakes and the emergence of new ones in the Third Pole region are likely to result in a higher frequency of GLOFs in the coming years. This calls for the development of improved analytical methods and datasets to anticipate and mitigate potential disasters associated with these events. The Thi...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Octopus DNA Reveals Evidence of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Collapse During Last Warm Spell

Breaking News, Environment

In a groundbreaking study published in Science, scientists have turned to the DNA of octopuses living in Antarctica’s frigid waters to uncover evidence of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet’s (WAIS) collapse during the Last Interglacial, a warm period 129,000 to 116,000 years ago. Lead author Sally Lau from James Cook University and her team analyzed the genes of geographically-isolated populations of Turquet’s octopus, discovering genetic mixing that indicated the existence of trans-West Antarctic seaways connecting the Weddell, Amundsen, and Ross seas. The findings suggest that WAIS collapsed during the Last Interglacial when global temperatures were approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, reflecting current conditions due to human-induced climate change. The st...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

2°C Global Temperature Rise Could Make Indus Valley Uninhabitable for 2.2 Billion

Breaking News, Environment, Learning & Developments

A new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warns that if global temperature rise by 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, about 2.2 billion people living in the Indus River Valley in northern India and eastern Pakistan may face prolonged periods of heat exceeding human tolerance. The research indicates that regions including northern India, eastern Pakistan, eastern China, and Sub-Saharan Africa will experience high-humidity heatwaves, which are even more dangerous due to reduced evaporative cooling capabilities. These areas are primarily home to lower-to-middle-income countries, where many individuals lack access to air conditioning or effective means to combat the health risks associated with extreme heat. Beyond specific thresholds of he...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Arctic Witnesses Record-Breaking Warmth in 2023, Signaling Alarming Climate Changes

Breaking News, Environment

The year 2023 has set a disturbing record as the warmest summer ever recorded in the Arctic, with far-reaching consequences for both the region and the global environment. This revelation comes from the recently released Arctic Report Card for 2023, a collaborative effort involving 82 scientists worldwide who assessed the Arctic’s vital signs, highlighting the profound effects of climate change. The summer of 2023 shattered the previous temperature record set in 2016, with temperatures in July, August, and September rising significantly, surpassing the 2016 record by four times the usual increment. Wildfires ravaged Canada, Greenland experienced unusual warmth leading to ice melting, and sea surface temperatures in various Arctic seas soared to 9 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 7 degrees...