The atmosphere is getting thirstier and it’s making droughts worse – new study
A new study shows that rising ‘atmospheric thirst’ is responsible for about 40% of the increase in drought severity over the last four decades.
June 4, 2025 • ~6 min
California plan to ban most plants within 5 feet of homes for wildfire safety overlooks some important truths about flammability
Hedges and trees may actually reduce home exposure to radiant heat and flying embers, but they must be well maintained. Two scientists who study how plants burn explain.
June 2, 2025 • ~8 min
Solar panels’ shade helps boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years
Solar energy can help grasslands weather droughts in the semi-arid American West.
May 30, 2025 • ~6 min
Solar arrays help boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years
Solar energy can help grasslands weather droughts in the semi-arid American West.
May 30, 2025 • ~6 min
The psychology of climate traps and how to avoid them
Climate shocks trigger emotional distress, which limits long-term thinking and can lead to environmentally harmful choices.
May 21, 2025 • ~7 min
How the weather got ‘stuck’ over the UK – and produced an unusually dry and warm spring
‘April showers’ were few and far between in 2025.
May 12, 2025 • ~7 min
Extreme drought contributed to barbarian invasion of late Roman Britain, tree-ring study reveals
Three consecutive years of drought contributed to the ‘Barbarian Conspiracy’, a pivotal moment in the history of Roman Britain, a new Cambridge-led study
April 17, 2025 • ~7 min
Peru’s ancient irrigation systems succeeded in turning deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed
Ancient practices hold important lessons for farmers facing drying lands, but they were often more complex than modern societies realize. Glacier loss adds to the challenge today.
April 8, 2025 • ~11 min
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