Climate Science
All Stories
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Border fence doesn’t stop humans, just endangered species
The 600 or so miles of fence splitting the U.S. from Mexico hasn't stopped immigrants from moving northward, but the fence has kept a few (non-human) endangered species from crossing the border. According to a new study, some species have had their range cut by 75 percent.
But the affected species, which include the Arroyo toad, California red-legged frog, black-spotted newt, and Pacific pond turtle, aren't the type that tend to incite widespread indignation on their behalf — that is, they’re reptiles and amphibians, which usually aren’t considered cute enough to worry about. -
Overheated river hobbles nuclear power plants
The Tennessee Valley authority has shut down three of its nuclear power plants for the second summer in a row, thanks to unusually warm temperatures in the rivers into which they would normally discharge water.
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Rick Perry to run for president; climate deniers cheer
The climate skeptics can finally get excited about the 2012 election: Texas Gov. Rick Perry, their candidate of choice, is about to officially throw his hat in the ring.
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How we know we're causing global warming, in one handy graphic
There is a set of phenomena we would see happening if human-emitted greenhouse gases were causing climate change. There is a set of phenomena that are happening. THEY ARE THE SAME PHENOMENA. That is all. (But if that's not enough for you, Skeptical Science has more.)
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Daredevils rowing to North Pole to draw attention to climate change
In order to draw attention to the perilous state of the Arctic, "Scottish adventurer" Josh Wishart teamed up with fiver other fellows to row 500 miles across the Arctic sea, starting from Resolute Bay in Canada. The journey should take four to six weeks, and the men will row in three hour shifts in order to stave off fatigue.
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Getting more voices into the climate game, starting with Steven Chu
It's easy to overthink the problem of climate skepticism. One answer is sending signals that trusted people and institutions are in agreement on the issue.
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Heated debate: public opinion on climate and weather
Polls show that most Americans think we should be addressing the problem of climate change somehow, regardless of whether they believe it's man-made.
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Long Island lobster catch dwindling to nothing
It really sucks to be a lobster fisherperson working in the Long Island Sound. Twelve years ago, 90 percent of the lobsters died off because of pesticides or climate change or both. The ones still there have weird-looking shells, a result of bacteria colonizing the sounds, that keep people from wanting to eat them. Things are so bad some of the lobstermen don't even bother fishing for lobster anymore, says the New York Times:
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Brace yourself for more stink bugs
Here's one invasive species that's never going to end up on an invasivore menu: the brown marmorated stink bug. (This is actually the most appetizing photo I could find.) They smell when you squish them, they get all up in your house, and they ruined $37 million worth of fruit crops last year. And they're likely to make an even bigger mess this year as they migrate into warmer climates.
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Sand kitten gives hope for near-extinct species, is ridiculously cute
The Israeli sand cat is extinct in the wild, so its only hope is breeding programs in captivity. The birth of this stupifyingly cute fuzzball at Safari Zoo in Tel Aviv is therefore really good news — it could help put the species on the path to recovery and reintroduction. But mostly we just like to look […]