https://phys.org/earth-news/environment/ en-us The latest news on the environment, environmental issues, earth science and space exploration. As autumn gives way to winter across the Arctic, the ground doesn't immediately freeze solid. Instead, soils often linger near the freezing point for days or even weeks in a phase called the zero curtain. In a new NASA-led study, researchers produced high-resolution maps of the Arctic zero curtain. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-reveals-hidden-stage-arctic.html Earth Sciences Sat, 22 Aug 2026 13:00:01 EDT news706455913 Sometimes science throws up the unexpected. When a team of researchers set out to model river erosion in Canada's High Arctic, they did not expect the findings to defy common sense. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-arctic-riverbeds-erode-faster-unfrozen.html Earth Sciences Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:20:05 EDT news706614377 Why do some lakes remain plagued by harmful algal blooms even after phosphorus pollution has been reduced? Part of the answer lies beneath the surface. A new Concordia study has uncovered a previously overlooked chemical process that can help trap phosphorus in lake sediments, preventing it from returning to the water, where it can fuel excessive plant and algal growth. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-hidden-chemical-pathway-phosphorus-fueling.html Earth Sciences Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:40:01 EDT news706534441 In April 1917, the German submarine UC-30 sailed beneath the waves off the coast of Rømø. It had originally been on a mission in Ireland, but after suffering engine trouble, it turned around and was almost home in Germany. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-shipwrecks-wwi-wwii-polluting-north.html Environment Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:40:13 EDT news706532941 We each need a roof over our heads, classrooms to learn in and offices or spaces to work in. To meet this unprecedented demand for new buildings, globally, we're constructing the equivalent of an entire New York City every month. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-yorksized-city-month-climate.html Environment Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:40:05 EDT news706522502 Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is boosting grass growth in Africa's water-limited savannas, according to a new study led by the University of Sheffield. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-carbon-dioxide-supercharging-grass-growth.html Environment Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:00:01 EDT news706450801 Offshore wind farms are a key pillar of the energy transition. The European Union plans to expand offshore wind capacity in the North Sea by 2050. A new study by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon indicates that a very extensive expansion could influence regional precipitation patterns: While precipitation over the sea could increase, it could decrease in coastal regions. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-north-sea-farm-expansion-shift.html Earth Sciences Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:40:02 EDT news706450623 As nations race to restore ecosystems and curb climate change, research has shown that letting nature do the work is a cost-effective, viable solution. A study from the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle found that natural forest regeneration delivered substantial carbon and biodiversity benefits and could be up to 96% cheaper than traditional tree-planting programs. The work is published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-natural-forest-regrowth-path-climate.html Environment Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:40:03 EDT news706450141 Over the past 230,000 years, the growth and retreat of the Icelandic ice sheet have led to major changes in the seawater chemistry of the North Atlantic, caused by the interaction between volcanism and ice in Iceland. Scientists at the Institute of Environmental Physics at Heidelberg University have demonstrated this using sediment cores from the northeastern Atlantic—the Rockall Plateau. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dynamics-icelandic-ice-sheet-north.html Earth Sciences Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:00:01 EDT news706449482 A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment, with contributions from researchers at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), shows that higher seawater temperatures could significantly reduce the long-term ability of underwater plants to store carbon. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ocean-temperatures-natural-carbon-storage.html Earth Sciences Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:40:01 EDT news706449062 Researchers have created an interactive map identifying 1.8 million individual trees in New York City, using a new approach that could optimize the placement of trees for cooling in cities around the world. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-wall-nyc-trees-cool-cities.html Environment Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:20:09 EDT news706447322 Extreme precipitation events are among the most damaging natural disasters and a major concern in our changing climate. In the U.S., since 1980, the most destructive events alone have caused more than 2,800 deaths and $700 billion in damages. But what is the total area of the country affected by these events each year? And how have these patterns changed over the past several decades? In a recent study in Geophysical Research Letters, led by researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, the authors discovered some unexpected trends. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-extreme-shifts-larger-frequent-storms.html Earth Sciences Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:40:06 EDT news706446782 Increasingly hot, dry and windy conditions could substantially extend the area affected by wildfires across Europe, according to a new study led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) with contributions from the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. In a low-emissions scenario (SSP1-2.6), the researchers calculate that roughly 39% more land would be burned per year by the end of the century compared with today's average. In a high-emissions scenario (SSP3-7.0), it would be around 192%. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-area-affected-wildfires-europe-triple.html Environment Thu, 20 Aug 2026 05:10:01 EDT news706281061 As climate impacts such as heat waves, floods and fires intensify worldwide, there is an urgent demand for information on how to respond. IIASA researchers and partners have developed a new tool that meets that need, integrating climate drivers, risks and adaptation options in one framework grounded in IPCC science. It turns authoritative global climate assessments into guidance practitioners can use. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-climate-taxonomy-tool-guidance.html Environment Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:40:03 EDT news706358881 New research from Purdue University demonstrates how organic aerosol molecules can influence one another's behavior in ways that existing atmospheric models do not fully capture. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-insights-aerosol-behavior-air-quality.html Environment Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:20:02 EDT news706358101 Amid current heat waves, urban greening is once again moving to the center of public debate. Greener cities are generally expected to have cleaner air because trees capture airborne particles, absorb gaseous pollutants and cool urban neighborhoods. But trees also emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) that, in the presence of sunlight and nitrogen oxides (NOx), can contribute to ground-level ozone formation. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-beijing-isoprene-emitting-trees-highlight.html Environment Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:00:19 EDT news706278421 Official flood maps shape disaster preparedness, insurance decisions and urban planning, but large parts of the United States remain unmapped or under-mapped. This means some communities may be left unaware of the risks they face, limiting their ability to prepare for future floods. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-reveals-million-americans-omitted.html Earth Sciences Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:20:03 EDT news706357681 A new analysis of ice cores collected from the Andes in Peru has produced the first global record of historical tropical methane, filling a critical gap in our understanding of the origins of Earth's greenhouse gases. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-peru-highest-mountain-tropics-major.html Earth Sciences Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:17 EDT news706197781 Between 2021 and 2023, Antarctica appeared to be growing. Heavy snowfall fueled by wetter weather caused parts of the continent to gain mass, leading some to question whether climate change is really causing the ice to melt. However, a new study shows that the precipitation increase was an anomaly related to extra-warm tropical ocean temperatures, not part of a long-term trend. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-antarctica-rebound-climate-variability.html Earth Sciences Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:10 EDT news706351423 For all that day-to-day weather forecasts have improved, it remains a challenge to forecast events that might happen once in 1,000 years—like the deadliest heat waves. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-millennium-weather-events.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:40:03 EDT news706274461 Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have found that most coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific may struggle to grow fast enough to keep pace with accelerating sea-level rise. Their study found that 76% of the reef sites surveyed do not have the capacity to keep pace with projected sea-level rise under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario, threatening coastal protection and marine habitats. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-quarters-indo-pacific-coral-reefs.html Environment Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:20:01 EDT news706274341 The Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine was destroyed on June 6, 2023. The event unleashed a catastrophic flood that forced thousands of residents to evacuate their communities as water levels rose 10 feet (3 meters) above normal. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-rare-satellite-reveal-major-limits.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:10:01 EDT news706289642 Growing up in New Jersey, Emily Wilson regularly passed tidal marshes without giving them much thought. They were part of the coastal landscape—stretches of green and blue she saw from the road. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-scientists-climate-benefits-tidal-marshes.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:50:02 EDT news706285417 Every summer is getting hotter. Wildfires are blazing, and the worst is yet to come. There's nothing to be done—we're doomed! Sound familiar? https://phys.org/news/2026-08-climate-doom-discourage-action-counter.html Environment Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:01 EDT news706284147 A study led by a Montana State University research professor reveals how climate and hydrothermal activity have shaped the vegetation, wildfire and aquatic ecosystem histories of the Yellowstone Plateau over the past 15,000 years. The results of the project were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-yellowstone-droughts-geyser-wildfires.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:20:07 EDT news706270021 In recent years, the Alps have experienced devastating glacier collapses: In September 2023, a section of the Marmolada glacier in the Dolomites collapsed, resulting in the deaths of seven mountaineers. Just over a year and a half later, in May 2025, the Birch Glacier above Blatten collapsed, keeping Switzerland and the entire world in suspense. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-fiber-optic-cable-reveals-hidden.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:00:12 EDT news706266841 The summers of recent years have been hot, but not unusual from a meteorological perspective. According to researchers at Leipzig University, though, the next extreme summer would far exceed anything we have experienced so far. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-drier-soils-late-summer-prolonged.html Earth Sciences Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:20:01 EDT news706263241 The threat that rising temperatures fueled by climate change pose to the health of older people has been dramatically underestimated, according to a U.S. modeling study published Tuesday. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-degree-month-intolerable-billion-people.html Environment Tue, 18 Aug 2026 04:16:44 EDT news706245365 A current system in the Atlantic Ocean that shapes regional climates and distributes ocean nutrients also serves as a control knob to help regulate temperatures across the planet, new research has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-weakening-atlantic-ocean-current-earth.html Earth Sciences Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:10:01 EDT news706206001 Researchers from Cornell University have pinpointed the source of oxygen that sustains deep-sea life in the North Atlantic Ocean: the churning waters in the Labrador Sea. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-labrador-sea-key-player-oxygen.html Earth Sciences Mon, 17 Aug 2026 17:40:03 EDT news706190522