1,000-year-old stalagmites from a cave in India show the monsoon isn’t so reliable – they reveal a history of long, deadly droughts

As water dripped in a remote cave, it left behind evidence of every monsoon season for a millennium. Scientists say it holds a warning for a country about to become the most populous on Earth.

Ashish Sinha, Professor of Earth and Climate Sciences, California State University, Dominguez Hills • conversation
Sept. 19, 2022 • ~8 min

Why the drought isn't over even though it's rained all week

A couple weeks of rain doesn’t make up for months of dry weather.

Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology, University of Reading • conversation
Sept. 16, 2022 • ~7 min

How Europe’s drought is making Britain's energy crisis worse

Gas that is burned now to replace German coal or French nuclear, is gas that cannot be stored for the winter ahead.

Simon Waldman, Lecturer in Renewable Energy, University of Hull • conversation
Sept. 9, 2022 • ~6 min

Desalination may be key to averting global water shortage, but it will take time

Drinkable water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Are technologies such as desalination capable of averting such a crisis?

Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Reader in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Aston University • conversation
Sept. 1, 2022 • ~8 min

Rivers worldwide are running dry – here's why and what we can do about it

The world’s great rivers are see-sawing from trickles to floods.

Catherine E. Russell, Fulbright-Lloyd's Visiting Scholar, University of New Orleans & Honorary Researcher, University of Leicester • conversation
Aug. 30, 2022 • ~4 min

Drought: five ways to stop heavy rains washing away parched soil

Storms and flash floods often follow a heatwave.

Dan Evans, 75th Anniversary Research Fellow, Soil and Agrifood Institute, Cranfield University • conversation
Aug. 16, 2022 • ~7 min

Drought: why some UK trees are losing their leaves in August

Britain is suffering through its worst drought since the 1970s.

Stuart Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Plant Biochemistry, University of Westminster • conversation
Aug. 15, 2022 • ~6 min

Drought: heavy rain now might be a serious problem for the UK's parched landscape

Flash flooding often follows periods of drought.

Rob Thompson, Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Meteorology, University of Reading • conversation
Aug. 12, 2022 • ~5 min

Britain's notoriously wet and cold climate is changing – you won't like what replaces it

The UK is no stranger to drought – especially southern England.

Ted Shepherd, Grantham Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading • conversation
Aug. 9, 2022 • ~7 min

58% of human infectious diseases can be worsened by climate change – we scoured 77,000 studies to map the pathways

It’s not just mosquitos. Flooding, extreme heat and other climate-related hazards are bringing people into contact with pathogens more often, and affecting people’s ability to fight off disease.

Hannah von Hammerstein, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography and Environmental Science, University of Hawaii • conversation
Aug. 8, 2022 • ~8 min

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