First-of-its-kind study reveals surprising ecological effects of earthquake and tsunami

The reappearance of long-forgotten habitats and the resurgence of species unseen for years may not be among the expected effects of a natural disaster. Yet that’s exactly what researchers have found on the sandy beaches of south central Chile, after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami in 2010. Their study also revealed a preview of the problems wrought by sea level rise, a major symptom of climate change.

A Mélange of Ice

Global warming has had a particularly strong impact on the Arctic, yet the effects on the region’s ice have been anything but steady or predictable. The once seemingly insignificant and remote Arctic region is now understood to be intimately connected to the rest of the planet…

Antarctic Ice Melting From Warm Water Below

Most glacial ice melting occurs below the sea surface and in regions where ice shelves and icebergs are concentrated, as along the Antarctic coastline. That suggests that future sea levels could rise faster than many scientists have been predicting.

5 Misconceptions About Sea-Level Rise

Clear scientific consensus on global climate change amongst scientists does exist. Every major scientific organization in the United States, Europe, and Asia has produced statements supporting the science behind the human contribution to global warming and indicating an expected acceleration in the rate of sea-level rise over the next century…

In Paradise, and Closer Than Ever to Disaster

For many of us who live in temperate zones, inland regions and the industrialized West, global warming is a source of anxiety, and something of an abstraction. One challenge for Nasheed, former leader of the lowest lying country, was how to communicate the problems currently apparent in the Maldives to countries where the impacts of climate change are not yet as drastic or visible. What will happen once other nations start to feel the pressure of rising sea levels?