Total solar eclipse wows North America. Clouds part just in time for most
A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America on Monday as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent, thrilling those lucky enough to behold the spectacle through clear skies. Street lights blinked on and the planets came into view, as the moon shrouded the sun for a few minutes across the land. Dogs howled, frogs croaked and some […]
The Earth’s tectonic plates made the Himalayas — and could rip them apart
Researchers theorize that the Indian plate is plunging under the Eurasian plate, but as that process plays out, part of it is splitting apart under Tibet. In the heart of Asia, deep underground, two huge tectonic plates are crashing into each other — a violent but slow-motion bout of geological bumper cars that over time has sculpted […]
How Does Fog Form?
Fog is a visible mass of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air near the ground. It forms when the air becomes saturated with moisture and the water vapor condenses into small water droplets. Several factors contribute to the formation of fog: Humidity: Fog forms when the air becomes saturated with moisture. This […]
Twelve days of AOML research
Happy Holidays to all! As we close out 2023, join us as we look back at some of our top research highlights this year! From responding to heat waves to setting records and launching new tech, our dedicated team continues to push the boundary in an effort to support NOAA’s mission to build a climate-ready […]
Endangered Species List Grows By 2,000. Climate Change Is Part Of The Problem
Climate change is worsening the planet’s biodiversity crises, making environments more deadly for thousands of species and accelerating the precipitous decline in the number of plants and animals on Earth, according to an international organization that tracks species health. Species of salmon and turtles are among those facing a decline as the planet warms. Atlantic […]
Even With Carbon Emissions Cuts, a Key Part of Antarctica Is Doomed to Slow Collapse, Study Says
No matter how much the world cuts back on carbon emissions, a key and sizable chunk of Antarctica is essentially doomed to an “unavoidable” melt, a new study found. Though the full melt will take hundreds of years, slowly adding nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) to sea levels, it will be enough to reshape where […]
NASA Spacecraft Launched to Mysterious and Rare Metal Asteroid in First Mission of its Kind
Most asteroids tend to be rocky or icy, and this is the first exploration of a metal world. Scientists believe it may be the battered remains of an early planet’s core, and could shed light on the inaccessible centers of Earth and other rocky planets. SpaceX launched the spacecraft into a midmorning sky from NASA’s […]
What Can Be Observed During A Solar Eclipse
As the annual eclipse approaches, the best way to experience the different parts of the eclipse is to be ready with the proper viewing equipment. Staring directly at the Sun during an eclipse is dangerous, so we must find safe ways to observe it. Looking at it directly through an unfiltered camera or telescope provides […]
What Is A Subtropical Storm?
Subtropical storms in the Atlantic Basin can occur one or more times each hurricane season and are a mix of two different, familiar storm types. To explain subtropical storms, we need to start by explaining these two different storm types with which subtropical storms share some characteristics. Type 1: Tropical Storms: Tropical storms, or more broadly, […]
Why Aren’t All Beach Houses Built On Stilts?
Who Decides If A Home Should Be Built Elevated Or Not? How high a home needs to be off the ground in coastal areas is guided by base flood elevation, a metric used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to measure and map flood risk. But experts have been warning for years that FEMA’s flood risk […]