Climate Science
All Stories
-
![]()
![]()
2011 sets all-time record for tornadoes: 199 in one day
Extreme weather is like debt, obesity, and prescriptions for anti-depressants: Every year, there's more of it. 2011 was no exception, and scientists have just added another distinction to its record-breaking trophy case of awfulness: Nearly 200 tornadoes in a single day. The three-day storm that birthed that record killed 346 people. Whether or not this […]
-
![]()
![]()
Foot-long shrimp take over Gulf of Mexico
The Asian tiger prawn, a gigantic shrimp that can grow to more than a foot long, is invading the Gulf of Mexico. This year the species was found for the first time in Texas waters. This giganto breed of crustacean threatens the survival of crabs, oysters, and regular old normal-sized shrimp. It could disrupt the […]
-
![]()
![]()
Small spiders have TERRIFYING GIANT BRAINS
Tiny spiders are tiny, but relative to their body size it turns out their brains are ginormous. In some cases, 80 percent of a spider's body cavity contains central nervous tissues. Other spiders store parts of their brains in their legs. In other words, step on a tiny spider, and most of the goo that […]
-
Critical List: Oil spill off Nigerian coast contained; demand for solar could flatline
Shell managed to contain the large oil spill in the Atlantic Ocean before it reached the Nigerian coast. In America, thousands of times each year, sewer systems overflow and contaminate the country's waterways. But nope, fixing up aging infrastructure during an economic downturn is a terrible idea, according to House Republicans. Not only are solar […]
-
![]()
![]()
Politics blocks scientists from explaining why this year’s weather was record bad
A typical year in the U.S. includes three to four extreme weather events that do more than $1 billion in damage, but 2011 featured 12 of them. Add in the slightly-less-expensive extreme weather we experienced, and the total price tag is north of $50 billion. Scientists say they now have the tools to determine how […]
-
![]()
![]()
How climate change shows up in ancient, Tolkien-esque myths
The Vernagtferner glacier in the portion of the Alps falling within the borders of Austria is said to be cursed. In ancient legend, it buried the cities Onanä and Dananä, whose ruins lie beneath its implacable mass of ice to this day. Which is all a way, way cooler story than the purely factual “climate […]
-
-
Climate Dogs wish everyone happy holidays
They're trying to recycle all that wrapping paper, really. They just don't have thumbs. David Roberts made me post this. But honestly, how could I say no?
-
![]()
![]()
Donate your socks to a weasel
If you celebrate a gift-giving holiday this season, you're probably going to get socks from a well-meaning relative. (I'm looking forward to it! I really need socks.) And now you can do some good with your old ones, or the ones whose mates got lost in the wash and which you've been wearing as odd […]
-
Critical List: Oil slick moves towards Nigerian coast; adorable polar bear cub
The oil slick off the Nigeria coast is moving towards shore. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the design for a new generation of nuclear reactors. Climate change will help parasites thrive. Simple design is green design. Here is an adorable polar bear cub. That is all.
