Climate Change

Adult mayflies following an emergence on Lake Erie.

Massive Mayfly Swarms Are Getting Smaller—and That's Bad News for Aquatic Ecosystems

The drop is a sign that the insects’ populations are threatened, which could negatively affect the animals that feed on them

A Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), one of the species that contributed to the guano researchers used to study the climates of the past.

Ancient Bat Guano Reveals Thousands of Years of Human Impact on the Environment

Like sediment cores, ice samples and tree rings, bat excrement can be used to study the climate of the past

Kelsey Rose Juliana, one of 21 plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, speaks at a rally in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, June 4, 2019. That day, three federal judges heard arguments for the case.

Appeals Court Dismisses Kids’ Climate Case

The court conceded that the case was compelling but concluded that "such relief is beyond our constitutional power."

In 2019, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 0.95 degrees Celsius (1.71 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th century average.

The 2010s Were the Hottest Decade on Record. What Happens Next?

The news hasn’t come as a surprise to climate scientists, but all urge immediate action

A Chinese paddlefish specimen made in 1990 is seen on display at the Museum of Hydrobiological Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, China. The Chinese paddlefish's sharp, protruding snout made it one of the largest freshwater species in the world.

The Chinese Paddlefish, Which Lived for 200 Million Years, Is Now Extinct

New research concludes the freshwater species likely disappeared between 2005 and 2010 due to human activity

Sweden's 1,200-year-old Rök stone is inscribed with more than 700 runes, some of which may discuss climate change.

Viking Runestone May Trace Its Roots to Fear of Extreme Weather

Sweden’s Rök stone, raised by a father commemorating his recently deceased son, may contain allusions to an impending period of catastrophic cold

An intentionally lit controlled fire burns intensely near Tomerong, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in an effort to contain a larger fire nearby.

More Than One Billion Animals Have Been Killed in Australia’s Wildfires, Scientist Estimates

Some researchers believe the number could be ‘a very conservative figure’

Iron-rich dust launched into the air by winds swirls around the Southern Ocean. Understanding how iron’s chemistry shifts during its journey from earth to air to sea will be important for developing better climate models.

The Complicated Role of Iron in Ocean Health and Climate Change

Iron dust may have played a significant role in the last ice age, and it could be an important factor in mitigating future global temperature increases

The irony of trucking fake snow into a city that typically has to spend millions on snow removal was not lost on locals in Moscow.

Moscow Brought in Fake Snow for New Year's Eve Festivities to Counter an Unseasonably Warm December

A lack of festive atmosphere isn't the only issue; the city's snowless New Year's points to the serious effects of climate change on Russia

These are ten of the biggest strides made by scientists in the last ten years.

The Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of the Decade

Breakthroughs include measuring the true nature of the universe, finding new species of human ancestors, and unlocking new ways to fight disease

Presenting Smithsonian magazine's top ten stories of 2019

Our Top Ten Stories of 2019

From a 16-million-year-old tree to Confederate soldiers’ diaries, voracious snakes and England’s warrior king, these were the most-read stories of 2019

Exposed stone-built features in shallow water at the archaeological site of Tel Hreiz.

Oldest Known Seawall Discovered Along Submerged Mediterranean Villages

Archaeologists believe the 7,000-year-old structure was intended to protect settlements as sea levels rose

Thousands of brooding octopuses were discovered in 2018 on the ocean floor off the coast of California.

Eighteen Things We've Learned About the Oceans in the Last Decade

In the past 10 years, the world's oceans have faced new challenges, revealed new wonders, and provided a roadmap for future conservation

The Ten Best Science Books of 2019

New titles explore the workings of the human body, the lives of animals big and small, the past and future of planet earth and how it's all connected

This turtle was rescued from Cape Cod's frigid waters in November.

Why Do ‘Cold-Shocked’ Sea Turtles Keep Washing Up Onto Cape Cod?

A new study pinpoints some of the factors that may lead to regular strandings of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

Loss of oxygen allows algae to thrive, which in turn has cascading effects on marine ecosystems.

The World’s Oceans Are Being Starved of Oxygen

An alarming report found that there are 700 marine sites impacted by low oxygen levels—up from 45 in the 1960s

El Quitasol (The Parasol) by Francisco del Goya, digitally doctored into a scene that portrays the consequences of climate change

See Four Spanish Masterpieces Updated to Reflect the Consequences of Climate Change

Timed to coincide with the ongoing U.N. Climate Change Conference, the campaign is a digital effort to warn the world

Science thanks you for your service, elephant seal!

Seals With High-Tech Hats Are Collecting Climate Data in the Antarctic

Scientists hooked the animals up with sensors that monitor how heat moves through deep ocean currents

One scientist, Dave Willard, took the measurements of the 70,716 bird specimens in this study and recorded them by hand into ledgers like this. This photo shows one of Willard's ledgers, his measuring tools, and a Tennessee Warbler.

Climate Change May Be Causing Birds to Shrink—and Their Wings to Grow

The phenomenon was ‘shockingly’ consistent across a variety of bird species, according to the authors of a new study

Mercury-Laden Fog May Be Poisoning California’s Mountain Lions

A new study has found that pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains display higher mercury levels than big cats in inland regions

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