Statistics Research Offers New Forecast of El Niño
January 26 — A statistical model from Ohio State University is forecasting sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean in a new way, giving scientists the ability to quantify climatic phenomenon, including El Niño. (Ohio State University press release) More

Global Warming may Cause Songbirds to Avoid Certain Foods
January 26 — A University of Rhode Island student finds evidence suggesting some songbirds may avoid eating insects that consume leaves exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide. (University of Rhode Island press release) More

Puzzling Heights of Polar Clouds Revealed
January 26 — Scientists say icy clouds found at the edge of space are higher at the South Pole than at the North because of more intense solar radiation during the austral summer, helping researchers understand the role of these clouds as indicators of climate change. (British Antarctic Survey press release) More

One Type of Carbon So Resilient It Skews Carbon Cycle Calculations
January 22 — Scientists say they need to adjust various calculations concerning the ongoing effects of carbon dioxide because one component, graphitic black carbon, does not erode as quickly as previously believed. (University of Washington press release) More

Cosmic Rays Are Not the Cause of Climate Change, Scientists Say
January 22 — Earth and space scientists say that a recent paper attributing most climate change on Earth to cosmic rays is incorrect and that carbon dioxide emissions are the primary cause of global warming. More

Study Pinpointing Origins of Siberian Peat Bogs Raises Concerns
January 15 — United States and Russian scientists say massive Siberian peat bogs, widely known as the permanently frozen home of untold kilometers of moss and uncountable hordes of mosquitoes, also are huge repositories for gases that are thought to play an important role in the Earth's climate balance. (National Science Foundation press release) More

Corn Earworm Moths Get a Lift from the Wind
January 14 — A team of Penn State meteorologists finds corn earworm travel is predictable through use of weather forecasting models and analysis of wind data, allowing farmers to take appropriate action. (Penn State University press release) More

Sediment Samples Suggest How Plants Would Fare in Hotter, Drier Future
January 13 — Sediment samples dating back thousands of years and taken from under the deep water of West Olaf Lake in Minnesota have revealed an unexpected climate indicator that can be factored into future projections. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign press release) More

Ancient DNA Mutations Permitted Humans to Adapt to Colder Climates, UCI Researchers Find
January 12 — Researchers say key mutations in the mitochondrial DNA of human cells may have helped our migrating ancestors adapt to more northerly climates and ultimately link people with this ancestral history to specific diseases. (University of California-Irvine) More

Ozone Standards Pose Health Risk, Scientists Report
January 9 — Harvard scientists say the air Americans breathe contains more ozone from pollution than EPA estimates, posing greater health risks. (American Geophysical Union release) More

Climate Change may Threaten More Than One Million Species with Extinction
January 7 — Climate change could drive more than a quarter of land animals and plants into extinction by 2050, according to a group of international scientists. (Conservation International press release) More

Study on Toxic Exposures in Urban Environments
January 5 — Columbia and Harvard University researchers find that steel dust generated by New York City's subway system affects the amount of iron, manganese and chromium that commuters breathe. (Earth Institute at Columbia University) More

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