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Categories: Anthropology: Cultures, Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published Fans are not a magic bullet for beating the heat!



A new study throws cold water on the idea that fans can effectively cool you down during extremely hot weather events.
Published Experiencing extreme weather predicts support for policies to mitigate effects of climate change



Most Americans report having personally experienced the effects of extreme weather, according to new survey data. An analysis finds that a reported exposure to extreme weather is associated with support for a half-dozen pro-environmental government policies that are intended to mitigate the effects of climate change and are contained in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Published Australia on track for unprecedented, decades-long megadroughts



Australia could soon see megadroughts that last for more than 20 years, according to new modelling. The researchers' bleak findings are before factoring in human impact on the climate since the Industrial Revolution. According to the scientists, the findings paint a worrying picture of future droughts in Australia that are far worse than anything in recent experience.
Published Simple equations clarify cloud climate conundrum



New analysis based on simple equations has reduced uncertainty about how clouds will affect future climate change.
Published Ancient DNA reveals the appearance of a 6th century Chinese emperor



What did an ancient Chinese emperor from 1,500 years ago look like? A team of researchers reconstructed the face of Chinese Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou using DNA extracted from his remains. The study suggests the emperor's death at the age of 36 might be linked to a stroke. It also sheds light on the origin and migration patterns of a nomadic empire that once ruled parts of northeastern Asia.
Published How extratropical ocean-atmosphere interactions can contribute to the variability of jet streams in the Northern Hemisphere



Ocean-atmosphere coupling, the exchange in energy between the ocean and atmosphere, influences teleconnection patterns, the climate effects across vast geographical areas. However, its impact outside the tropics is unclear. A group of researchers examined the effect of ocean coupling on atmospheric circulation patterns in the Northern Hemisphere. They found that extratropical ocean-atmosphere coupling enhances teleconnection patterns and causes more meandering westerly jet streams, which are linked to extreme weather events.
Published Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage



Engineers designed an 'architected' reef that can mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while providing pockets for marine life. 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.
Published Severe hurricanes boost influx of juveniles and gene flow in a coral reef sponge



A study is the first to evaluate substrate recolonization by sponges in the U.S. Virgin Islands after two catastrophic storms using genetic analyses to understand how much clonality verses sexual recruitment occurs on coral reefs post-storms. Results show that populations of clonal marine species with low pelagic dispersion, such as A. cauliformis, may benefit from increased frequency and magnitude of hurricanes to maintain genetic diversity and combat inbreeding, enhancing the resilience of Caribbean sponge communities to extreme storm events.
Published Persian plateau unveiled as crucial hub for early human migration out of Africa



A new study combining genetic, palaeoecological, and archaeological evidence has unveiled the Persian Plateau as a pivotal geographic location serving as a hub for Homo sapiens during the early stages of their migration out of Africa. It highlights the period between 70,000 to 45,000 years ago when human populations did not uniformly spread across Eurasia, leaving a gap in our understanding of their whereabouts during this time frame.
Published Unintended consequences of fire suppression



A new study reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation.
Published A new way to quantify climate change impacts: 'Outdoor days'



'Outdoor days,' a new measure, describes climate change impacts by noting the number of days per year that outdoor temperatures are comfortable enough for normal outdoor activities.
Published Satellite data assimilation improves forecasts of severe weather



In 2020, a line of severe thunderstorms unleashed powerful winds that caused billions in damages across the Midwest United States. A new technique that incorporates satellite data could improve forecasts -- including where the most powerful winds will occur -- for similar severe weather events.
Published Toba supereruption unveils new insights into early human migration



Working in the Horn of Africa, researchers have uncovered evidence showing how early modern humans survived in the wake of the eruption of Toba, one of the largest supervolcanoes in history, some 74,000 years ago. Modern humans dispersed from Africa multiple times, but the event that led to global expansion occurred less than 100,000 years ago. Some researchers hypothesize that dispersals were restricted to 'green corridors' formed during humid intervals when food was abundant and human populations expanded in lockstep with their environments. But a new study suggests that humans also may have dispersed during arid intervals along 'blue highways' created by seasonal rivers. Researchers also found evidence of cooking and stone tools that represent the oldest evidence of archery.
Published The heat index -- how hot it really feels -- is rising faster than temperature



Researchers showed in 2022 that heat index calculations by NOAA based on analyses from the 1970s don't adequately reflect the heat stress humans feel during the extremes of heat and humidity accompanying climate change. Using their revised heat index, the researchers looked at Texas's summer 2023 heat wave and found that the 3 degree F rise in global temperatures has increased the state's heat index as much as 11 degrees F on the hottest days.
Published New archive of ancient human brains challenges misconceptions of soft tissue preservation



A new study has challenged previously held views that brain preservation in the archaeological record is extremely rare. The team compiled a new archive of preserved human brains, which highlighted that nervous tissues actually persist in much greater abundances than traditionally thought, assisted by conditions that prevent decay.
Published Self-heating concrete is one step closer to putting snow shovels and salt out of business



Researchers recently reported on the science behind its special concrete, that can warm itself up when it snows, or as temperatures approach freezing.
Published Meteorology: Weak polar vortex makes weather more predictable



Events in the stratosphere are making long-range weather in Northern Europe easier to forecast, researchers have discovered.
Published Diverse habitats help salmon weather unpredictable climate changes



Restored salmon habitat should resemble financial portfolios, offering fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes, a new study shows.
Published Tropical birds could tolerate warming better than expected, study suggests



We expect tropical animals to handle a certain degree of heat, but not wild swings in temperature. That seems to be true for tropical ectotherms, or 'cold-blooded' animals such as amphibians, reptiles, and insects. However, in a new study of 'warm-blooded' endotherms, a research team found tropical birds can handle thermal variation just fine.
Published Ready for the storm: Researchers analyze infrastructure, demographics to see where tornadoes are most disruptive



Researchers examined demographics, infrastructure and more than seven decades of weather data to determine which places in Kentucky are most vulnerable to tornadoes.