Wood burning in homes drives dangerous air pollution in winter
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-May-2026 07:16 ET (1-May-2026 11:16 GMT/UTC)
Only 2% of U.S. homes rely on wood as their primary heating source, but residential wood burning accounts for 22% of fine particulate matter in winter air, a new study finds. The researchers estimate 8,600 premature deaths per year are associated with wood-burning fireplaces, furnaces and stoves. People of color burn less wood yet disproportionately experience higher exposure rates.
A new study published in Big Earth Data evaluates ten satellite-based and reanalysis precipitation datasets available in Google Earth Engine using rain gauge observations across Czechia from 2001 to 2021. The results show that the gauge-adjusted GSMaP dataset provides the highest overall accuracy, while ERA5-Land performs well for long-term analyses despite systematic overestimation. The findings offer clear guidance for selecting reliable precipitation datasets for hydrological, climate, and environmental applications, particularly in regions with complex terrain.
A team of researchers led by the University of Plymouth have earned £3.7million from UK Research and Innovation to conduct an unprecedented assessment of the response and resilience of deep sea coral ecosystems. The five-year project will be delivered in collaboration with organisations across the Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius and will focus on coral reefs below the surface of the Indian Ocean, employing a number of methods to assess their vulnerability to climate change.
In a study published in Earth and Planetary Physics, researchers analyzed atmospheric gravity wave (AGW) events observed in Dandong (northeastern China) and Lhasa (Tibetan Plateau) between 2015–2017. Using machine learning and ray-tracing methods, the team found significant differences in wave parameters and wave sources, driven by distinct geographical conditions and wind-filtering effects.