Peking University, November 4, 2025: A research team led by Professor Zhang Qinghong and Li Rumeng from the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at Peking University (PKU) School of Physics, has found that hailstorms in China have surged since the Industrial Revolution, likely due to human-driven climate warming. The study, published in Nature Communications in September 2025, combines historical records, meteorological data, and artificial intelligence to track long-term hailstorm trends.

An alpine plant could hold the key to its survival in a steadily warming climate. ETH Zurich researchers have identified the origin of two particular ancient gene variants in the plant that control its flowering time.

A research team has combined CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and artificial intelligence to create compact tomato plants optimized for vertical farming in response to the dual challenges of climate change and urbanization.

A new study published in Environmental Research Letters reveals that even advanced climate intervention strategies may not be enough to secure the future of wine grapes, coffee and cacao. These crops are vital to many economies and provide livelihoods for farmers worldwide. However, they are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns cause big variations in crop yields from year to year, meaning that farmers cannot rely on the stability of their harvest, and their produce is at risk.

To address global challenges like climate change, emerging diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, among others, research infrastructures in Europe can provide pivotal, evidence-based solutions grounded in robust science. The Crete Declaration unites a large consortium of organisations in a commitment to strengthening collaboration, as they join forces to collaboratively advance FAIR data integration, support open innovation, and inform policy-making through integrated scientific knowledge. The Crete Declaration is published as a policy brief in the open-science journal Research Ideas and Outcomes.