Climate

How to forecast the future with climate models

Conor Purcell September 19, 2018

This world map shows the change in annual average precipitation projected by the GFDL CM2.1 model for the 21st century (Credit: NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, via Wikimedia Commons)

Our climate is constantly changing, and with the help of simulation modelling, scientists are working hard to better understand just how these conditions will change and how it will affect society. Science journalist Conor Paul Purcell has worked on Earth System Models during his time as a PhD student and postdoctoral researcher; today he explains how scientists use these models as tools to foreca ...[Read More]

Living in a new Age

Robert Emberson September 14, 2018

The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) has updated the timeline for Earth’s full geologic history, dividing the Holocene into three distinct periods. What does that mean for the Anthropocene? (Photo: East Khasi Hills in Megahalaya, India. The state is the namesake of the new geological age. Credit: Sai Avinash via Wikimedia Commons)

If you were suddenly told you were living in a different time period, what would your immediate reaction be? Changes in the calendar – even if it’s just terminology – have proven emotive in the past. In 1752, when England shifted from the Julian to Gregorian calendars, and 11 days were cut from 1752 to catch up, there are suggestions that civil unrest ensued. Once again, the name of the period in ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: The ancient guard of Altai

Olivia Trani September 10, 2018

The ancient guard of Altai Credit: Natalia Rudaya (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

In the heart of Eurasia, an ancient stone statue overlooks the expanse of the Kurai Valley and the Altai Mountains in Russia. This relic was crafted more than a thousand years ago, sometime during the 6th or 7th century. A Turkish clan that inhabited the region, known as the First Turkic Khaganat, would often erect stones as monuments of funeral rituals. Natalia Rudaya, who took this photograph, i ...[Read More]

August GeoRoundUp: the best of the Earth sciences from around the web

Olivia Trani September 6, 2018

Shutters of the Cheruthoni dam open in response to heavy rainfall in Kerala, India. (Credit: Kiranroice, via Wikimedia Commons)

Drawing inspiration from popular stories on our social media channels, major geoscience headlines, as well as unique and quirky research, this monthly column aims to bring you the latest Earth and planetary science news from around the web. Major story The south Indian state of Kerala has suffered unusually heavy monsoon rainfall this month, triggering the worst flooding the state has seen in more ...[Read More]