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Environment

Restoring just nine groups of animals could help combat global warming

Protecting or expanding the populations of nine key groups of animals, including wolves and whales, would remove huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere

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Image taken: 2nd March 2023 SNOW WAY! The surreal site of snow-draped cacti in Arizona???s Sonoran Desert was captured in breath-taking detail by Jack Dykinga last week. The scenes, which meteorologists have described as ???once in a generation??? demonstrate a rare convergence of nature???s extremes. The Sonoran desert is typically known for its arid sub-tropical climate. Even in winter, days are sunny and mild. But this month the area saw 2-4 inches of snow that lasted about 4 hours. Dykinga, who has been photographing the Sonorn Desert since 1976, says the last big snow was a full decade ago. He described this year???s otherworldly scenes as ???pure magic, seemingly out of place and strikingly beautiful.??? Before the snow arrived, the Desert looked completely different, boasting an explosion of flowers and clear blue skies. The reason for the uncharacteristic snowfall is not fully understood. The current La Ni??a event (a cyclic weather pattern that influences global weather) is partly responsible, coupled with a persistent blocking pattern over the Pacific Ocean and cold air migrating south from the Arctic. Climate change also means extreme weather events are becoming more likely.

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Rare photograph of snow in the usually baking hot Sonoran desert

Regulars

Episode 1. Sienna Miller in

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Extrapolations review: Can this climate sci-fi make us care?

Culture

Environment

IPCC climate change report: Can we avoid 1.5°C of global warming?

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Glacier

Environment

IPCC reporting hiatus could imperil political action on climate change

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Environment

US approves controversial Willow oil drilling project in Alaska

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Environment

We can suck CO2 from the air and store it in the ocean as baking soda

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TOPSHOT - An aerial photo taken on February 14, 2023 shows flooding caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in Awatoto, near the city of Napier. - New Zealand declared a national state of emergency on February 14 as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away roads, inundated homes and left more than 100,000 people without power. - New Zealand OUT (Photo by AFP) / New Zealand OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Environment

Do back-to-back disasters show first climate tipping point is upon us?

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Environment

How smoke from Australia’s megafires ate away at the ozone

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Environment

UK faces rising costs for flood damage even with modest warming

With 1.8°C of warming, the average yearly cost of flood damage in the UK is predicted to increase by 4 per cent, but some parts of the country will see bigger rises

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Chemistry

The surprisingly useful liquids that mop up gases like a sponge

Features

Environment

Warming temperatures are creating 'zombie forests' in California

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Humans

Moai statue discovered in a dried-up lake on Easter Island

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Environment

Horn of Africa drought is set to become the region’s worst on record

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