Stellar flare: bringer of life and deathNASA/GSFC/SDO By Leah Crane Planets walk a thin line between nurturing life or killing it off altogether, blasted as they are by high-energy particles spewing from stellar flares. While these particles can bombard a world, causing biological damage and chipping away at its vital atmosphere, they might also kick-start […]
We must keep warming downDenis Meyer/Hans Lucas By Michael Le Page Headlines this week proclaimed the worst-case scenarios for climate change were “debunked” and “not credible”. As you might expect, things aren’t that simple. The stories were sparked by a study by Peter Cox at the University of Exeter, UK, and his colleagues, who attempted to work out how […]
Top Story Though Michigan’s sugar maples benefit from the growth-promoting effects of nitrogen compounds in the environment, those gains will not fully offset the added stresses of growing under a drier climate in the future, according to a new study. Sugar maples, known for their fiery fall foliage and as the main source of maple […]
Top Story Ancient dinosaurs were adorned in some amazing ways, from the horns of the triceratops to the plates and spikes of the stegosaurus. A newly discovered, bird-like dinosaur fossil from China contains evidence that could add a new accessory to the list: a shaggy ruff of rainbow feathers. A team of researchers is the […]
Top Story In 1950, fewer than one-third of the world’s people lived in cities. Today more than half do. By 2050, urban areas will be home to some two-thirds of Earth’s human population. We live on an urban planet, according to a new report, one where cities, although occupying only 3 to 4 percent of […]
Sophie Melanson By Jon White THERE is a colourful upside to the freezing temperatures sweeping across parts of North America this week. These light pillars – captured here in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada – are more usual in polar regions, but have been seen as far south as Ohio in recent weeks. Light pillars are […]
The stricken oil tanker Sanchi has leaked oil condensate into the East China SeaTransport Ministry of China handout/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock By Andy Coghlan At least crude oil is visible. Not so the toxic liquid leaking from a capsized oil tanker in the East China Sea. This invisible substance is a lethal threat to marine life. On 6 January, […]
Top Story Snakes are known for their iconic S-shaped movements. But they have a less noticeable skill that gives them a unique superpower. Snakes can crawl in a straight line. Researchers are studying the mechanics of snake movement to understand exactly how they can propel themselves forward like a train through a tunnel. Snakes typically […]
It takes teamwork to change the worldFabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty By Adam Corner Climate scientists are in no doubt that global warming is almost entirely the result of human activity. Which makes it odd that attempts to predict how things will pan out have paid lip service to human behaviour, one of the key factors determining whether […]
Prairie Pictures/Getty When it comes to avoiding dangerous rises in sea level, every little bit of global warming we can avoid will make a difference. In Paris in December 2015, world leaders agreed to try to limit warming to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, and if possible keep it within 1.5 °C. While a 2 […]