A new study published in the journal Science Advances by an international team of climate scientists presents the first realistic supercomputer simulation that resolves the complex interactions between fire, vegetation, smoke and the atmosphere. The authors find that increasing greenhouse gas emissions will likely increase the global lightning frequency by about 1.6% per degree Celsius global warming, with regional hotspots in the eastern United States, Kenya, Uganda and Argentina [Figure 1A]. Locally this could intensify wildfire occurrences. However, the dominant drivers for the growing area burned by fires each year [Figure 1B] remain shifts in global humidity and a more rapid growth of vegetation, which can serve as wildfire fuel.

The research team led by KIM Jae Kyoung, Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at KAIST and Chief Investigator of the Biomedical Mathematics Group at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), has unveiled new insights into how weather influences the spread of dengue fever. Their study identifies temperature and rainfall as critical factors driving the global surge in dengue cases and offers actionable strategies for mitigating the disease's impact.

Data-driven networks influence convective-scale ensemble weather forecasts

People have been recording local climates for centuries, chronicling hot and cold periods as well as resulting floods, famines, and fatal diseases. Now, researchers have examined a wealth of historic documents to learn how climate impacted 16th century Transylvania, a region that today is part of Romania. They found that after several decades of uncharacteristically high temperatures, the climate changed in favor of excessive rain – and that both climates shaped human lives and societies in their own way.

Colorado’s forests store a massive amount of carbon, but dying trees – mostly due to insects and disease – have caused the state’s forests to emit more carbon than they absorbed in recent years, according to a Colorado State Forest Service report.