climate change

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

Olivia Trani May 31, 2019

Mirror mirror in the sea... Credit: Mario Hoppmann (distributed via imaggeo).

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 impact that humans have left on the planet’s landscape is so profound, that up to one million plant and animal species are at risk of extinctio ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: climate modelling the world of Game of Thrones

Olivia Trani May 17, 2019

With the help of some climate models, researchers have proposed a theory explaining the peculiar climate of the world of Game of Thrones. (Credit: Dan Lunt, University of Bristol)

Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for Season 8 of “Game of Thrones.” A basic understanding of the world of Game of Thrones is assumed in this post. The Game of Thrones world of ice and fire is an unpredictable place both politically and environmentally. While the fate of the Iron Throne is yet to be confirmed, a humble steward has been working diligently to make some sense of the pl ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: The changing landscape of Patagonia

Olivia Trani February 18, 2019

The Changing Landscape of Patagonia. Credit: Shauna-kay Rainford (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Pictured here is a snapshot of an environment in transition. Today’s featured photo was taken at the foot of Monte Fitz Roy, a jagged Patagonia mountain located in Los Glaciares National Park on the border between Argentina and Chile. The Patagonia region in South America is the second biggest source of glaciers in the southern hemisphere, behind Antarctica, but the region is losing ice at a rapid ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: Using volcanoes to study carbon emissions’ long-term environmental effect

Olivia Trani January 17, 2019

Mammoth Mountain, a lava dome complex in the Sierra Nevada, California. Scientists have been studying the ecosystem's response to the volcano's carbon emissions. Credit: Hike395 distributed via Wikimedia Commons

In a world where carbon dioxide levels are rapidly rising, how do you study the long-term effect of carbon emissions? To answer this question, some scientists have turned to Mammoth Mountain, a volcano in California that’s been releasing carbon dioxide for years. Recently, a team of researchers found that this volcanic ecosystem could give clues to how plants respond to elevated levels of carbon d ...[Read More]