Phys.org Earth Science

• Study of Turkish gold mine landslide highlights need for future monitoring

  A new analysis of a fatal landslide that occurred on 13 February 2024 at the Çöpler Gold Mine in Turkey reveals that the site of the landslide had been slowly moving for at least four years prior to the failure.

• US will stop tracking the costs of extreme weather fueled by climate change

  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will no longer track the cost of climate change-fueled weather disasters, including floods, heat waves, wildfires and more. It is the latest example of changes to the agency and the Trump administration limiting federal government resources on climate change.

• After 170 years, Thoreau's river observations inform our changing climate

  Like an expertly choreographed dance, the sequence and timing of natural events through a season, called phenology, give us clues about how the climate is changing.

• Some water conservation programs may get more value by targeting rural farms

  Conservation programs aimed at boosting environmentally friendly practices by incentivizing farmers may get more bang for their buck by targeting rural farms rather than more urban ones, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.

• Atmospheric mercury levels plummet as global efforts curb toxic emissions

  Mercury is released by environmental and human-driven processes. Some forms, specifically methylmercury, are toxic to humans. Therefore, policies and regulations to limit mercury emissions have been implemented across the globe.

• People who understand the health dangers of living in high-risk areas are more likely to accept home buyouts

  Galena Park, Texas, is on the northern bank of the Houston Ship Channel, home of the nation's largest petrochemical complex. The area includes 40 petrochemical plants, two of the nation's largest oil refineries, and the high-traffic roadways and railways that keep them going.

• Global temperatures stuck at near-record highs in April: EU monitor

  Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming.

• EU parliament backs emissions reprieve for carmakers

  EU lawmakers on Thursday gave the green light to a delay for European carmakers to meet new emission targets, as the bloc seeks to balance climate goals with supporting the struggling industry.

• Simple oxygen tweaks could curb 'laughing gas' emissions from wastewater systems

  Laughing gas (nitrous oxide or N₂O) is primarily released by the microorganisms responsible for cleaning our wastewater. These microbes live in complex communities, with each group performing a specific role. Emissions vary throughout the day and across seasons, and the intricate microbial processes behind them remain largely unknown—making it difficult to design effective strategies to reduce emissions.

• Nature visits can improve well-being disparities among urban dwellers

  Hiking. Camping. Even just walking in the park. Be it a current hobby or a childhood pastime, many urban residents have engaged in activities that have nurtured in them a positive relationship with nature. But in our modern society, disparities in access to nature have only grown larger between residential areas. And while this especially affects those that face social and economic challenges, research that explores the relationship between district-level socioeconomic status, nature and well-being remains limited.

• Securing Europe means protecting the climate: New policy brief charts path for 1.5° lifestyles

  Against a backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and a deepening climate crisis, a new policy brief urges that climate policy be firmly embedded in European security strategy. The report, "Mainstreaming 1.5° Lifestyles: Sustainable Security through Climate Action," was released today by the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) at the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences as part of the EU research project "1.5° Lifestyles."

• Sulfur runoff amplifies mercury concentrations in Florida Everglades

  Sulfur applied to sugarcane crops in South Florida is flowing into wetlands upgradient of Everglades National Park, triggering a chemical reaction that converts mercury into toxic methylmercury, which accumulates in fish, new research from the University of California, Davis finds.

• Study reveals all of the biggest US cities are sinking: Groundwater pumping is the main cause in most

  A new study of the 28 most populous U.S. cities finds that all are sinking to one degree or another. The cities include not just those on the coasts, where relative sea level is a concern, but many in the interior. Furthermore, using newly granular data, the study finds that some cities are sinking at different rates in different spots, or sinking in some places and rising in others, potentially introducing stresses that could affect buildings and other infrastructure.

• Satellites observe glacier committing 'ice piracy'

  A glacier in Antarctica is committing "ice piracy"—stealing ice from a neighbor—in a phenomenon that has never been observed in such a short timeframe, say scientists.

• Even as emissions level off, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is growing faster than ever. Here's why

  Over the last decade, humanity's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) have stabilized after a period of huge growth. Average growth is now down to just 0.6% per year, compared to 2% per year in the previous decade. But leveling off isn't the same as declining—and we've leveled off at a very high rate of emissions. The Global Carbon Project estimates human activities released a record high of 10.2 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in 2024.

• Protecting Iceland's towns from lava flows—with dirt

  It had been dormant for 800 years, but in March 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland came to life. While the eruption was ongoing, large-scale field experiments were conducted to build defensive earthen barriers aimed at slowing down the molten lava flow.

• Waxing and waning prairie: New study unravels causes of ancient climate changes

  A new study from the University of Helsinki has provided a compelling new explanation for the devastating droughts that took place in North America thousands of years ago. This period, known as the Holocene, covers the time of a generally warm climate following the last ice age. These exceptionally long-lasting droughts had drastic impacts on forest dieback and ecosystem transformations; understanding their causes is essential to improving societal resilience to future climate variations.

• 117 million-year-old mud waves reveal the birth of the Atlantic Ocean

  Heriot-Watt scientists have discovered giant underwater mud waves buried deep below the Atlantic Ocean, 400 kilometers off the coast of Guinea-Bissau in west Africa.

• Only 0.001% of deep seafloor has been visually observed in 70 years, roughly equivalent to Rhode Island's area

  In a study published today in Science Advances, researchers from the Ocean Discovery League reveal that only a minuscule fraction of the deep seafloor has been imaged. Despite covering 66% of Earth's surface, the deep ocean remains largely unexplored.

• Climate change putting millions more people at risk from infection-causing fungi

  Researchers from The University of Manchester have forecast there will be an increased risk of infection from fungi over the coming years, including a significant spread of some fungal pathogens across Europe, the extent of which will depend on global actions to mitigate climate change.

• The atmospheric memory that feeds billions of people: Monsoon rainfall mechanism discovered

  Across the globe, monsoon rainfall switches on in spring and off in autumn. Until now, this seasonal pattern was primarily understood as an immediate response to changes in solar radiation.

• Global study tracks air pollution and CO₂ emissions across thousands of cities worldwide

  In a sweeping new study of more than 13,000 urban areas worldwide, researchers have mapped air pollution levels and carbon dioxide emissions, providing comprehensive global analysis of urban environmental quality.

• Study finds that today's vulnerable youth will be most affected by continued greenhouse gas emissions

  Climate extremes, including heat waves, crop failures, river floods, tropical cyclones, wildfires and droughts, will intensify with continued atmospheric warming. Today's children will endure more climate extremes than any previous generation.

• Moving towns: 4 stories of communities facing relocation show the complex realities of managed retreat

  With large parts of New Zealand having recently been pummeled by ex-tropical Cyclone Tam and ongoing bouts of heavy rain, it is important to remember that natural hazards have long shaped our cities.

• Virtual-only couture emerges as sustainable alternative for fashion industry

  As fast fashion continues to fill wardrobes and landfills at a staggering pace, new research from the University of Portsmouth suggests that the future of fashion might lie not in fabric, but in pixels.