All U.S. Coral Reefs Face Human Threats
September 30, 2002Every U.S. coral reef system is suffering from both human and natural disturbances, warms a new government report. (Environment News Service)
El Niño Could Dry Southern Africa; Winter Rain Help
September 30, 2002Southern African rains look likely to dry up in a growing El Niño phenomenon, but South African farmers said winter rains had set them in good stead for the dry spell. (Reuters)
Black Carbon Contributes to Droughts and Floods in China
September 27, 2002Black Carbon Contributes to Droughts and Floods in China
Global Warming Could Increase Health Risks
September 27, 2002Scientists at the Climate and Culture Conference in Canberra, Australia said that warmer conditions could provide ideal breeding grounds for the malaria virus. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Scientist Says Ice Meteors a Sign of Climate Change
September 27, 2002A Spanish scientist says global warming may be to blame for giant blocks of ice called megacryometeors, which fall from clear skies. (Reuters)
Into the Cold?
September 26, 2002Water circulation data from the North Atlantic now suggest the climate system may be approaching a threshold, which may have implications for climate change, and the circulation of warm Gulf waters up the U.S. eastern seaboard. (Christian Science Monitor)
Glacial Melting Takes Human Toll
September 25, 2002Scientists say that climate change is responsible for a collapsing glacier on the Russian Caucasus Mountains that buried a village under 3 million tons of ice and mud. (LA Times)
Taking on Mother Nature: Ready to Change the Weather?
September 24, 2002In October, jets will stream over south Florida and unleash a powder to promote rain. The hope is that this powder will be able to steal the strength from hurricanes. (ABCNews.com)
Premature Breakup of the Antarctic Ozone Hole This Week
September 24, 2002The National Meteorological Centre of the Netherlands predicts that the ozone hole over Antarctica will break up this week, months earlier than normal. (Spacedaily.com)
Oceans of Trouble, Says U.S. Panel
September 23, 2002A new study from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy has found that 40,000 acres of coastal wetlands that provide spawning, feeding and nursery areas for fish are disappearing per year. (CBSnews.com)
Study Finds Thicker Storm Clouds Over Warmer Tropical Waters
September 20, 2002Over warmer waters in the tropics, clouds become thicker and more
extensive, and reflect more sunlight back into space than they do over
cooler waters. (ScienceDaily)
Climate Change Affecting Flora
September 20, 2002Climate experts with Natural Resources Canada are reworking their data on
vegetation hardiness zones in Canada have changed as the climate has
changed. (Toronto Globe and Mail)
Study: Earth to Warm Even if Greenhouse Gas Cut
September 20, 2002Earth’s climate will warm up over the next 50 years whether or not
greenhouse gases are curbed soon, according to a NASA study. (Reuters, ABC
News, Ananova)
Alaskan Island Falls Victim to Global Warming
September 20, 2002In some areas above the Arctic Circle, average winter temperatures are 10F degrees above normal. More insects are feeding on Alaskan evergreens, permafrost is melting, and waters are rising around Shishmaref, Alaska making the town consider a move 5 miles east of its present location. (CNN)
Battle to Repair Ozone Layer is Far from Over
September 19, 2002The World Meteorological Organization announced that the ozone layer will
remain vulnerable during the next decade or so, even with full compliance
to measures reducing the pollutants that adversely affect it. (Spacedaily.com)
Scientists Map Global Air Pollution
September 18, 2002NASA funded researchers are now routinely producing the first global maps
of fine aerosols that distinguish plumes of human-produced pollution from
natural aerosols. (Spacedaily, ENS)
Sahara Desert Frontiers Turn Green
September 18, 2002Satellite pictures of northern Africa show that areas lost to the Sahara
desert during decades of drought are becoming green again. (BBC News)
Physical Effect of Sept. 11 Scrutinized From on High
September 17, 2002Scientists using airborne spectrometers charted the toxic dust from the
disintergrating twin towers of Sept. 11th, while others looked at how the
lack of contrails affected weather patterns. (NY Times)
Rings Around the Earth: A Clue to Climate Change?
September 17, 2002Some scientists believe that there once were rings of rocks and debris
around the Earth, which may explain patterns of climate change in Earth’s
geologic record. (SpaceDaily.com)
Summer Was Third Warmest on Record
September 13, 2002The National Climatic Data Center reported that June through August was the
warmest summer since the 1930s. The average temperature (combining highs
and lows)was 73.9 degrees, 1.8 degrees warmer than
normal. (Nandotimes.com, Associated Press)
El Nino Impacts Fall, Winter Weather Forecasts
September 13, 2002The National Weather Service said that fall and winter impacts of El Nino
will mean drier than average conditions for the Pacific Northwest, and
mid-Atlantic states in the fall; and wetter than average in the southern
states in winter. (Environment News Service)
Drought Not Budging, Thanks to El Nino
September 12, 2002The drought gripping nearly half of the U.S. is expected to linger for
another 6 months with the arrival of a weak El Nino. (Reuters)
EO Birds Confirm Rapid Changes in Earth's Polar Ice Sheets
September 10, 2002Recent measurements by NASA have concluded that Earth's polar ice sheets
are changing much more rapidly than previously believe. These changes may
have consequences to global sea levels and the world's climate.
(Spacedaily.com)
Warming Could End Antarctic Species
September 9, 2002A researcher from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland says that
thousands of the world's most exotic species of sea animals may face
extinction if Antarctic sea temperatures rise as predicted over the next
100 years. (CBSnews.com)
Goodbye to Glaciers
September 6, 2002A Canadian scientist says that the glaciers in the Rockies will be gone in
20 to 30 years due to climate change. (National Post/Canada.com)
Team Determined to Unearth Origin of Iturralde Crater
September 5, 2002NASA scientists are headed to the Amazon to learn the origin of a 5 mile
diameter crater. They will analyze soils and rocks to determine if it was
created by a comet or meteor impact. (Spaceflightnow.com)
Atmospheric Wave Linked to Sea Ice Flow Near Greenland
September 3, 2002A NASA researcher has discovered the link between a certain wave of
atmospheric pressure at sea level and the amount of sea ice exported
through the Fram Strait near Greenland. (Cosmiverse.com., Wissenschaft
Berichte(Germany))
Warming Waters Affect Lobsters
September 3, 2002Movements of lobster, tuna and cod have been moving out of the warmer than
normal waters all around Cape Cod, Massachusetts this year, making for
smaller catches. (Boston Globe)