Don’t blame Dubai’s freak rain on cloud seeding – the storm was far too big to be human-made

Some parts of the Gulf experienced 18 months of rain in a single day.

Richard Washington, Professor of Climate Science, University of Oxford • conversation
April 19, 2024 ~6 min

Using deep learning to image the Earth’s planetary boundary layer

Lincoln Laboratory researchers are using AI to get a better picture of the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface. Their techniques could improve weather and drought prediction.

Haley Wahl | MIT Lincoln Laboratory • mit
April 18, 2024 ~7 min


Colorado is latest state to try turning off the electrical grid to prevent wildfires − a complex, technical operation pioneered in California

Turning off power is a last-ditch strategy for utilities to reduce the risk that their systems could spark wildfires. In most states, deciding whether to take that step is up to utilities.

Kyri Baker, Assistant Professor of Building Systems Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
April 12, 2024 ~8 min

The South’s aging water infrastructure is getting pounded by climate change – fixing it is also a struggle

Extreme downpours and droughts, both fueled by rising global temperatures, are taking a toll on water infrastructure. Communities trying to manage the threats face three big challenges.

Megan E. Heim LaFrombois, Associate Professor of Political Science; Director of Master of Community Planning Program, Auburn University • conversation
April 12, 2024 ~9 min

‘April showers’ – a rainfall scientist explains what they are and why they are becoming more intense

Why the weather can be sunny one minute then rainy the next.

Rob Thompson, Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Meteorology, University of Reading • conversation
April 8, 2024 ~5 min

MIT-derived algorithm helps forecast the frequency of extreme weather

The new approach “nudges” existing climate simulations closer to future reality.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News • mit
March 26, 2024 ~8 min

Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage

The sustainable and cost-saving structure could dissipate more than 95 percent of incoming wave energy using a small fraction of the material normally needed.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News • mit
March 26, 2024 ~9 min

Climate change is shifting the zones where plants grow – here’s what that could mean for your garden

The US Department of Agriculture has updated its plant hardiness zone map, which shows where various plants will grow across the country. Gardeners should take note.

Matt Kasson, Associate Professor of Mycology and Plant Pathology, West Virginia University • conversation
March 22, 2024 ~10 min


A new way to quantify climate change impacts: “Outdoor days”

This measure, developed by MIT researchers, reflects direct effects on people’s quality of life — and reveals significant global disparities.

David L. Chandler | MIT News • mit
March 22, 2024 ~5 min

School’s out: how climate change is already badly affecting children’s education

Teaching children about the environmental crisis can help fight climate change, but climate change is already negatively affecting children’s education around the globe.

Kelton Minor, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Computational Social and Behavioural Science, Columbia University • conversation
March 21, 2024 ~7 min

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