The 8 billion tons of plastic waste that have amassed on Earth pose a grave and growing danger to human health, according to a new report published in the leading medical journal The Lancet.
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Alaska Climate Report: Above and Below Normal, July Had it All
ome was a hot place to be in early July. The temperature was 20 degrees above normal at one point during that period, according to the monthly summary of the Alaska Climate Research Center.
Research Shows Early Quake Warning System Could Provide Critical Seconds
A proposed earthquake early warning system could have provided several Alaska communities an alert of 10 seconds or more ahead of strong shaking from the magnitude 7.3 quake that occurred south of Sand Point near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula in mid-July.
Mysterious Denisovan interbreeding shaped the humans we are today
Denisovans, a mysterious human relative, left behind far more than a handful of fossils—they left genetic fingerprints in modern humans across the globe. Multiple interbreeding events with distinct Denisovan populations helped shape traits like high-altitude survival in Tibetans, cold-weather adaptation in Inuits, and enhanced immunity. Their influence spanned from Siberia...
Scientists stunned by colossal formations hidden under the North Sea
Beneath the North Sea, scientists have uncovered colossal sand formations, dubbed “sinkites,” that have mysteriously sunk into lighter sediments, flipping the usual geological order. Formed millions of years ago by ancient earthquakes or pressure shifts, these giant structures could reshape how we locate oil, gas, and safe carbon storage sites....
Unprecedented climate shocks are changing the Great Lakes forever
Extreme heat waves and cold spells on the Great Lakes have more than doubled since the late 1990s, coinciding with a major El Niño event. Using advanced ocean-style modeling adapted for the lakes, researchers traced temperature trends back to 1940, revealing alarming potential impacts on billion-dollar fishing industries, fragile ecosystems,...
Ancient predators and giant amphibians found in African fossil treasure trove
Over 15 years of fossil excavations in Tanzania and Zambia have revealed a vivid portrait of life before Earth s most devastating mass extinction 252 million years ago. Led by the University of Washington and the Field Museum, scientists uncovered saber-toothed predators, burrowing herbivores, and giant amphibians, offering rare insight...
Falling Ice Drives Glacial Retreat in Greenland
The Greenland ice sheet is melting at an increasing rate, a process accelerated by glacier calving, in which huge chunks of ice break free and crash into the sea, generating large waves that push warmer water to the surface.
Solving a Dirty Problem with Sunlight and Oil
Wastewater can contain many harmful substances, but a new method enables researchers to purify this water using sunlight and droplets of oil.
Droughts Have Minimal Effect on Tropical Tree Growth – but Climate Change Worsening Tree Mortality
20,000 tree ring samples shows remarkable growth resilience to droughts, but tree death could result in equivalent of Germany’s annual CO2 emissions.