Category Archives: Earth System Science

Mild winters and early springs – trend or rarity?

Posted on 03/21/2012 by wordpressadmin

All over the United States, spring flowers such as daffodils and crocuses began blooming nearly a month ago due to an unseasonably warm winter. Some of my friends from many parts of the country have been mentioning how beautiful their … Continue reading →

From drought to flood down under: Part I–The need for rain

Posted on 02/29/2012 by wordpressadmin

In December 2007, I arrived in Australia for the first time ever. It was a critically dry period for the region, as they were in the midst of a terrible drought. Immediately upon my arrival, there were signals of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, General Science | 2 Comments

Frosty and Frozen: Europe’s Frigid Winter

Posted on 02/15/2012 by wordpressadmin

Since the end of January 2012, Europe has been experiencing record-breaking cold temperatures and heavy snowfalls. Temperatures are dropping to -40°C (-40°F) and below in Europe. The canals of Venice are freezing over (the first time since 1991) and sections … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, General Science | 5 Comments

Trees are in Trouble: Climate Change and Dying Trees

Posted on 02/08/2012 by wordpressadmin

Communities in the Sahel region of Africa depend on trees for firewood, food, building materials, and even medicine. Anecdotal observations in this savannah climate, a transition region to the south of the Sahara Desert, have suggested the number of trees … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Land Cover | 5 Comments

Was 2011 really hot or not?

Posted on 02/01/2012 by wordpressadmin

If you’ve seen the science news headlines in the past few weeks, you may have noticed stories summarizing how 2011 ranked in climate history. What is interesting is that the headlines have been a bit contradictory. For example, if you’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, General Science | Leave a comment