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Great Pacific Garbage Patch growing rapidly, study shows

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Great Pacific Garbage Patch growing rapidly, study shows

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180322123755.htm

The great pacific garbage patch is an area in the pacific ocean that is home to over 1.8 trillion pieces of floating plastic and junk. Now, in a joint study, researchers have found that our previous estimates of the garbage patch are way off. The garbage patch may be even up to 16 times larger then we had estimated. The pollution in the area is increasing exponentially and the patch itself is showing no signs of stopping to grow. This is a major environmental effect and a real landmark for the human causes of destruction on Earth's Environments.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180405093300.htm

Researchers globally are experimenting with new ways to solve our increased emissions crisis. One such solution is to take Co2 and inject it and store it underground as opposed to letting it join the atmosphere and heat up the earth. Usually, putting the Co2 underground results with it seeping back up into the air. However, a new procedure, which injects it underground into basalt deposits actually converts the co2 gas into a neutral mineral within months. This is very promising news as our world will continue to suffer from our emissions.

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New driver of extinction: Adaptations for sexual selection

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New driver of extinction: Adaptations for sexual selection

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180411131646.htm

This article discusses the findings of a team researching the mate selection of extinct species. What they found was that the work done for a specific mate may actually hurt that species adapt and may lead to its extinction. This is because organisms become to picky with their mates and their isn't enough diversity in the gene pool to successfully adapt to new environments thus leading to extinction.

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New source of global nitrogen discovered

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New source of global nitrogen discovered

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180405140946.htm

A study by the University of California Davis has discovered that although a vast majority of our nitrogen on Earth comes from the atmosophere, a significant amount actually comes from bedrock. Nitrogen released by bedrock now accounts for 26% of the nitrogen being used by plants and feeding into the Earth's nitrogen cycle. This is important in helping us further predict what our climate will be like in the future. Also, this new knowledge helps us understand that weathering actually helps forests get the nitrogen they need to absorb co2 emissions.

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Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest point in more than 1,500 years

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Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest point in more than 1,500 years

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180411131642.htm

Researchers at University College London have been studying the currents and circulations of our oceans. They have discovered that the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean is at an all time low. The circulation of warm water from the gulf stream to north Atlantic waters near Europe, help warm Europe. Right now, that circulation is at a 1600 year low. If this trend continues, we can see major changes in Earth's climate especially in western Europe.

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180410103507.htm

Researchers in Sweden studied the migratory habits of many different species of birds in Europe and Africa. They noted the differences between the migratory birds and sedentary birds. They discovered that the birds that migrated to and from Europe were equipped with a less capable immune system. This is significant because disease isn't as prevalent in Europe as it is in Africa which leads the researchers to believe the birds have evolved to migrate in a way such as to breed and give birth to offspring in the healthiest of environments

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Rising temperatures turning major sea turtle population female

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Rising temperatures turning major sea turtle population female

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180111101408.htm

It has been known that sea turtle sex can be determined by the temperature of the sand in which the egg is laid. However, due to climate change and rising temperatures, sea turtles hatching in Australia in the past year have been dominantly female. Originally, the increase of females in the sea turtle population would be viewed as beneficial to the survival of the species, but the climate is changing faster than the turtles can keep up with it.

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Global temperature targets will be missed within decades unless carbon emissions reversed

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Global temperature targets will be missed within decades unless carbon emissions reversed

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180122110946.htm

Scientists in Australia and Europe look to bring the members of the Paris Agreement to immediate action in their new paper. They discuss that if the world does take immediate action, we can see a 1.5 degree Celsius increase in temperature over the next ten years. At our current rate, global temperatures will have increased to two degrees Celsius in twenty years. We need to act now if we are going to have a carbon negative or carbon neutral future. Our only other option is to cooperate on how to live in a warmer climate sustainably.

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The ocean is losing its breath -- here's the global scope

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The ocean is losing its breath -- here's the global scope

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180104153511.htm

Life in the ocean thrives off dissolved oxygen which the ocean will soon not have enough to support the vast amount of species that it does at the moment. In the last 50 years, the area of ocean with low dissolved oxygen levels has increased by ten times. It is a lack of oxygen that is killing the coral and it is caused by human pollution and climate change

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A race against pine: Wood-boring wasp in North America threatened by a Eurasian invader

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A race against pine: Wood-boring wasp in North America threatened by a Eurasian invader

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180122110829.htm

Eurasian wood wasps that were brought to North America started out as beneficial but are now becoming more and more detrimental to the environments they invaded. The wood wasps helped the decomposition of dead or dying trees but now they are also targeting healthier trees. The wasps are upsetting the pine tree population which is a staple part of the environment for many native species in North America.

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Long-term warming trend continued in 2017: NASA, NOAA

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Long-term warming trend continued in 2017: NASA, NOAA

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180118173711.htm

Scientists have confirmed that the Earth's climate is following a steady upward trend in temperature. The global average temperature increased by 1.5 degrees in 2017. Also, the three highest annual temperatures recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were recorded since 2010.

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Rainfall trends in arid regions buck commonly held climate change theories

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Rainfall trends in arid regions buck commonly held climate change theories

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171012123049.htm

As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists have begun to study the effects of rain with more abundant warm air. Warm air can hold more moisture and in areas where there is moisture, scientists have been able to observe increases in rainfall. However, scientist are now observing how the warm air is affecting rainfall in arid biomes like deserts. From a study by Universities of Bristol and Cardiff, researches have seen that the few intense storms that arid areas usually get are now getting becoming less intense. This is because these dry areas are actually getting more annual rainfall in more frequent less intense rain showers.

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Protecting 'high carbon' rain forest areas also protects threatened wildlife

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Protecting 'high carbon' rain forest areas also protects threatened wildlife

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171106112251.htm

Rainforests are one of the world’s largest sources for carbon consumption and conversion through photosynthesis. With carbon emissions on the rise, the UN is targeting rainforests to combat the ever increasing amount of carbon emissions which seem to be the leading factor in global climate change. Not only will protecting rainforests from deforestation help fight rapid climate change, but it will also help protect tons of threatened animal and plant species. Rainforests are the most biodiverse biomes in the world and their destruction also leads to the extinctions of plants and animals. Protecting these rainforests and helping them grow will save animal and plant species while also combating rapid climate change.

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Combination of El Niño and 2016 Ecuador earthquake likely worsened Zika outbreak

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Combination of El Niño and 2016 Ecuador earthquake likely worsened Zika outbreak

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171012200202.htm

Zika outbreaks in Ecuador were worsened by a strong earthquake and a strong El Nino. El Nino is a normal climate event that brings warm water and rain to the pacific coasts of South America. The warm water is optimal for mosquito populations to grow. Also, Ecuador was hit with a 7.8 earthquake leaving hundreds of thousands of people without proper sanitation. Lack of sanitation combined with perfect growing grounds for mosquitoes lead to the Zika outbreaks in Ecuador.

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Discarded cigarette butts: The next high performing hydrogen storage material?

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Discarded cigarette butts: The next high performing hydrogen storage material?

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171031120514.htm

800,000 metric tons of cigarette butts are produced every year and are either thrown away or littered. Scientists at Nottingham University have discovered that carbon from cigarette butts have an inordinately high hydrogen storing ability. Cigarette butts alone are full of toxins and non-biodegradable parts but with this discovery come new uses for this commonly discarded thing. Hydrogen is a good combustible substance because it only gives off water when it burns. This alone would reduce pollution while also finding a use for discarded cigarette butts.

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Three-quarters of the total insect population lost in protected nature reserves

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Three-quarters of the total insect population lost in protected nature reserves

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171019121842.htm

Insect populations around the world have been decreasing dramatically and no one is sure why. Protected reserves in Germany have studied their insect populations in the middle of summer where their populations should be highest and found that they were in actually horrifyingly low. Similar trends have been observed in North America as well where bee and butterfly populations are nearing extinction. Even well regulated and protected reserves see these trends. Because of this, scientists are not able to find a clear answer as to what is causing the decrease. Changing climate, plant species, and animal species could answer it for some natural areas but wouldn’t answer how a special reserve could be having the same issues. The researchers only word of advice is to be cautious of their populations as time goes on.

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New Eocene fossil data suggest climate models may underestimate future polar warming

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New Eocene fossil data suggest climate models may underestimate future polar warming

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180122184607.htm

Scientists have re-investigated fossils in the polar and tropical oceans. They discovered that the warming of the polar oceans was actually much greater than we thought during the Eocene. Using this knowledge, scientists are using the fossils as environmental indicators for what will happen if the Polar Oceans continue to warm.

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Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact cooled Earth's climate more than previously thought

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Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact cooled Earth's climate more than previously thought

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171031111446.htm

The asteroid known as Chicxulub that wiped out the dinosaurs is said to have affected the Earth’s climate more than we had previously thought. During the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, nearly 75% of Earth’s plant and animal species went extinct soon after the asteroid struck. The asteroid caused a lot of dust, sulfur, and carbon to rise into the atmosphere reflecting the sun's heat and light. Scientists first thought the temperature dropped about 50 degrees and stayed sub zero for most of a three year period after the initial impact. The new research states that 425 gigatons of carbon were released into the atmosphere after the impact which is more than all carbon emissions in 2014. The sudden increase in carbon would have lead to much colder temperatures and a quicker extinction rate.