Tuesday, 21 May, 2013

How do hurricanes form? How do we predict their paths? How can we improve predictions?

The first ocean wave energy-capturing device with a permit to connect back to a public power grid will enter the Pacific next month. How much power could the U.S. potentially harness from the waves crashing into its the coastline? According to researchers, wave energy might be one of our best renewable resources.

We love accurate weather forecasts, but the weather satellites they rely on are nearing the boneyard. Some replacements have crashed into the ocean, others are in financial limbo. Be very worried about our fragile planet: these satellites also track climate, ice, fire, and the health of forests and ocean!

Was the epic 2011 heat wave in Texas due to global warming or natural variation?

New instruments are giving a better view of how those astonishingly strong lightning bolts form inside clouds – and we are also getting a better picture of the many ways that lightning can harm us.

Tornadoes need wet air, dry air, and wind shear. What explains the big improvement in tornado prediction? Is climate change boosting these storms?

As Earth warms, should we try huge geoengineering projects to cool the climate? Would adding iron to fertilize ocean plants withdraw enough carbon dioxide to slow warming — or backfire?

How do hurricanes form? How do we predict their paths? How can we improve predictions?

Some call it Fall. Some call it spring. But nobody in the Midwest, East Coast or Northern Europe is calling it “winter.” What’s up with our weather?

How do volcanoes work (p. 2)? How do we predict them (p. 3)? How do they change the landscape (p. 4)? How does life return after the eruption (p. 6)?

Tornadoes kill 60 Americans each year. How do we predict tornadoes? How do we make houses safer? Where do tornadoes get their energy?

Amazon study changes picture of global carbon budget.

The Edmund Fitzgerald went down in 1975 with barely a trace, and no warning call whatsoever. New evidence pins the blame on terrible weather.

What’s new in polar science? What do seals do under the ice? How did humans cross the Bering Strait to reach North America? What does ancient metal tell us about ancient people?

How climatologists know about past and present climates. What role do pollen, ice cores, computer models, archeology and tree rings play in the effort to explore ancient climates?