Top Stories

Nitrous Oxide Emissions Grew 40 Percent from 1980 to 2020, Accelerating Climate Change

Emissions of nitrous oxide, the third most important human-made greenhouse gas, rose 40 percent from 1980 to 2020, according to a new report by the Global Carbon Project.

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Atmospheric Sulphur Dioxide Levels Reach Historic High in Scotland Following Icelandic Volcano Eruption

Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen in over 30 years.

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Pacific Coast Gray Whales Have Gotten 13% Shorter in the Past 20-30 Years, Oregon State Study Finds

Gray whales that spend their summers feeding in the shallow waters off the Pacific Northwest coast have undergone a significant decline in body length since around the year 2000, a new Oregon State University study found.

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From Seashells to Cement, Nature Inspires Tougher Building Material

Inspired by the material that makes up oyster and abalone shells, engineers at Princeton have created a new cement composite that is 17 times more crack-resistant than standard cement and 19 times more able to stretch and deform without breaking. 

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Sea Ice Takes a Spin Down the Coast

Floating fragments of sea ice spun into intricate patterns as ocean currents carried them south along Greenland’s east coast in spring 2024. 

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Soil Bacteria Respire More CO2 After Eating Non-sugar Organic Matter

When soil microbes eat plant matter, the digested food follows one of two pathways. 

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New Discovery Reveals Unexpected Ocean Algae Help Cool the Earth

A common type of ocean algae plays a significant role in producing a massively abundant compound that helps cool the Earth’s climate, new research has discovered.

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Specialist and Migratory Birds at Greater Risk Under Climate Change

Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new analysis by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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Heat Scorches U.S. Southwest

An early summer heat wave brought exceptional warmth to the Southwest in June 2024.

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