Climate Science

Oceans kept the last decade from being even hotter

Occasionally, as in the past decade, greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere continue to increase, but the increase in average world air temperatures seems to "pause." (Not that the past decade wasn't the hottest on record -- it's just that climate scientists thought it could have been even hotter.)

Now, scientists are figuring out where that extra heat went: into the oceans. Specifically, into the deep oceans, below 1,000 feet beneath the surface. The world's oceans can hold vastly more heat energy than the atmosphere, so this isn't a big surprise, although it's nice to have some confirmation.

Critical List: Solar installations increasing; giant snails invade Miami

The number of non-residential solar panel installations is growing.

Disasters connected to weather or climate made more than 30 million people in Asia refugees last year, the Asian Development Bank reports.

Oil industry consultant Daniel Yergin wrote a new book about energy. It'll probably annoy you.

A professor in Canada made a machine that could suck carbon out of the air.

Carbon taxes that don't work are a bad idea

There's a perspective that's gaining ground in the energy policy debate: emissions taxes may not be very effective in fighting global warming, but we should support them anyway.

Scientists rush to save minnows from Texas drought

Here's the thing about apocalyptic droughts: They are bad for people and livestock and all other living things, but they are ESPECIALLY bad for fish. Texas minnows can't wait for Rick Perry's prayer meetings to alleviate the state's record dry spell -- they're already in dire straits as the water shortage robs them of their ability to eat, move, respirate, and reproduce. So scientists are evacuating them, moving the tiny fishlets from the shrinking Brazos River into safer fish hatcheries.

Climate-denying candidates make more Americans believe in global warming

According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, 83 percent of people now believe that climate change is happening. That's up from 75 percent last year. What's behind the change? Partly heat, and partly hot air.

The aliens have landed!

A peek into one cubic foot of the San Francisco Bay reveals all manner of creepy crawlies -- and offers a window into our world's astonishing biodiversity.

Critical List: 24 hours later, climate change still a reality; EPA will miss GHG deadline

Al Gore said some stuff.

Texans return to their burnt-out homes. If these droughts keep up, it won’t be too long before the state gets on board with Gore.

The EPA won't make a deadline for regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Here's what an imaginary, perfectly green Obama would do on environmental issues. Democrats should run this guy in 2012!

GOP says ban on invasive snakes is 'job killer'

The Obama administration wants to strangle job growth in America like some kind of giant, prosperity-choking python, mostly by banning the importation of said pythons, says a new GOP report.

New atlas shows climate change effects — including a brand-new island

The new edition of the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World includes an island that's only existed since 2006. Uunartoq Qeqertaq -- "Warming Island" -- surfaced when the Greenland ice cover retreated because of global warming. It's only one of the climate change side effects that have now been deemed permanent enough for inclusion in the atlas.

Hey, we found a new dolphin species!

We all know the Earth still has more and stranger species than we've discovered, or at least it will until we clear-cut and climate-bomb them right into extinction. But you usually figure these fragile exotic lifeforms are hanging out in caves under Madagascar, or somewhere else that's tough to get to. Turns out, though, that at least some of them have been chiling near Melbourne, Australia, where researchers have discovered a new species of dolphin just basically right under their noses.