GeoLog

climate change

Heat waves in cities getting worse under climate change

May 10, 2017
Heat waves in cities getting worse under climate change
Urban areas regularly record the hottest temperatures around . Credit: Binhe Luo (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

The effects of climate change are being felt all over the world but towns and cities are feeling most hot-under-the collar, a new study finds. Cities are usually warmer than their surroundings due to the urban heat island effect where artificial surfaces absorb more heat than their natural counterparts. Coupled with the loss of the shady effects of trees, urban areas regularly record the hottest t ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: How El Niño triggered Indonesia corals die-off

March 3, 2017
Geosciences Column: How El Niño triggered Indonesia corals die-off
Coral bleaching in the Maldives captured by The Ocean Agency / XL Catlin Seaview Survey in May 2016. Credit: he Ocean Agency / XL Catlin Seaview Survey / Richard Vevers.

In the glistening waters of Indonesia, shallow corals – the rain forests of the sea – teem with life.  Or at least they did once. Towards the end of 2015 the corals started to die, leaving a bleak landscape behind. An international team of researchers investigated the causes of the die-off. Their findings, published recently in the EGU’s open access journal, Biogeosciences, are rather ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: Africa’s vulnerability to climate change

February 3, 2017
Climate change is set to hit the nations of the Global South the hardest.
Climate change is set to hit the nations of the Global South the hardest. Masai life . Credit: Jaap Berghuijs (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu).

Ravaged by armed conflicts, a deep struggle with poverty, poor governance and horizontal inequality, some parts of Africa and other Global South regions are arguably the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Largely reliant on natural resources for sustenance, current and future changes in temperatures, precipitation and the intensity of some natural hazards threaten the food security, ...[Read More]

January GeoRoundup: the best of the Earth sciences from across the web

January 27, 2017
January Georoundup: the best of the Earth sciences from across the web
NASA's Analysis 2016 Global Temperature of was released this month and was among the major stories of this month.

The start of the new year sees the launch of a new series here on GeoLog. Drawing inspiration from popular stories on our social media channels, as well as unique and quirky research news, this monthly column aims to bring you the best of the Earth and planetary sciences from around the web. Major stories One of the biggest stories of this month was the anticipated release of the average global su ...[Read More]