Emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from lakes and reservoirs risk doubling by the end of the century due to climate change according to a new study from Linköping University, Sweden, and NASA Ames Research Center in the US. This in turn could raise Earth’s temperature more than suggested by the UN climate panel IPCC’s current worst-case scenario.

Researchers from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, analyzed hourly dust emissions during 136 large dust events across Central East Asia from 2000 to 2023 using a state-of-the-art wind erosion model calculation. The results show that Mongolia has become the dominant source of dust emissions in the region, with its contribution increasing from 43% in the early 2000s to 53% in recent years. After two decades of decline, regional dust storm activity has rebounded sharply after 2021 due to stronger winds, vegetation degradation, and soil drying. The study provides new insights into the changes of Central East Asia dust activity and underscores the urgent need for cross-border dust monitoring and early warning systems. The findings were published in Science China Earth Sciences.

Insectivorous birds found in the understorey of the Eastern Himalayas are under threat due to habitat degradation, study finds. 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has successfully launched the Global Climate Impact of Methane Seeps (CliMetS) Initiative through a pivotal collaboration with the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (GML) and over 200 experts worldwide. Endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Action, CliMetS is dedicated to mapping seabed methane seeps across the world’s oceans and quantifying their impact on global climate systems. Recently, HKUST co-led two milestone workshops in South America and Africa, galvanizing global efforts to address methane seep research gaps and fostering cross-continental partnerships.

A recent study published in National Science Review, reveals that continuously increasing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions will significantly amplify the risk of extreme dry-hot in North America and Europe by enhancing land-air coupling. This study highlights the critical role of regional climate feedbacks under global warming.

In California’s Death Valley, where summer temperatures regularly soar above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, life seems almost impossible. Yet among the cracked earth and blinding sunlight, one native plant not only survives — it thrives. That plant, Tidestromia oblongifolia, has helped Michigan State University scientists uncover how life can flourish in extreme heat, revealing a potential blueprint for engineering crops that can adapt to our changing climate. In a new paper published in Current Biology, Research Foundation Professor Seung Yon “Sue” Rhee and Research Specialist Karine Prado report that T. oblongifolia grows faster in Death Valley’s summer conditions by rapidly adjusting its photosynthetic system to withstand the heat.