• Adapt or Retreat? Conference Will Explore Questions of Habitability in a Changing World

    By Olga Rukovets

    As sea levels rise, fires rage, and temperatures continue to increase around the globe, it is understood that certain areas may no longer be habitable in the not-so-distant future, and that people now living in these area will have to retreat to more accommodating areas — in what is called “managed retreat.” But what does it mean to be habitable? And who gets to decide what happens to these areas under threat?

  • Forecasting Probability of Storm-Related Coastal Change in Puerto Rico

    The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. Throughout the season, the U.S. Geological Survey will be providing science that can help guide efforts to protect lives and property if a storm threatens the U.S.

  • Paving the Way for Collapse-Resistant Structures

    Buildings in the U.S. are generally designed to withstand the usual suspects: rain, wind, snow and the occasional earthquake. Abnormal events such as gas explosions, vehicle impacts or uncontrolled building fires are not typically a consideration. If vulnerable buildings face any of these unanticipated events, the results could be tragic. But now, a new building standard can help engineers prevent the worst.

  • New Tool to Improve Forecasting of Extreme Rain Events

    By Danae Marx

    Researchers have identified the factors affecting the likelihood of extreme rain events and have developed a tool that can improve the forecasting of such events. This tool will be made available to the Israel Meteorological Service and its counterpart agencies throughout the world.

  • New Mapper Opens Up Access to Flood Planning in New York State

    By Elizabeth Sydor

    An accessible new mapping tool will make it easier for individuals and communities in New York State to plan for flooding and sea level rise. The easy interface of the NYS FIDSS Mapper means users don’t need GIS knowledge or complex software — only access to the Internet.

  • For Beleaguered Homeowners and Their Insurers, the Fire Next Time Could Be a Flood

    By Felicity Barringer

    The data-driven insurance business is in trouble as climate-change-driven disasters arrive with greater fury and frequency. Catastrophic losses are something that insurance companies have long planned and budgeted for. But not this many.

  • Cost of Climate Change-Driven Natural Disasters Includes Losses of Learning, Earnings

    A new study finds that the human capital consequences of natural disasters, linked to climate change, are a significant factor contributing to economic inequality.

  • Avoiding Armageddon: Narrowing Down List of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

    By Daniel Strain

    Researchers identified at least 20 asteroids that scientists may want to study more to make certain they pose no threat to life on Earth in the next millennium. The odds of any of these rocky bodies striking the planet are extremely low, but because the fallout from such an impact would be catastrophic, it’s important to be sure.

  • What Does the U.S. National Guard Do?

    By Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman

    The National Guard is a special part of the U.S. military that answers to both state governors and the president, as it routinely responds to domestic emergencies such as natural disasters. It also supports military operations overseas. It began as a “strategic reserve,” but the guard has grown into a pivotal partner in military operations. An intelligence leak by a National Guardsman has raised concerns over the guard’s role in critical military functions, including surveillance and intelligence work.

  • Frustrated by Outdated Grids, Consumers Are Lobbying for Control of Their Electricity

    By Emma Foehringer Merchant

    Climate change is spurring interest in remaking local infrastructure to accommodate renewable energy, minimize power failures, and expand consumer choice.

  • How Mount St. Helens Eruption Changed the World

    The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens had a profound impact on how we live with active volcanoes. Looking back over the last four decades, we have made great strides in understanding volcanic hazards and communicating with at-risk communities so we can better prepare for the next eruption.

  • Global Flash Droughts Expected to Increase in a Warming Climate

    By Chelsea Julian

    The rapid development of unexpected drought, called flash drought, can severely impact agricultural and ecological systems with ripple effects that extend even further. Researchers are assessing how our warming climate will affect the frequency of flash droughts and the risk to croplands globally.

  • Modeling Catastrophic Impacts, Risk Assessment of Climate Change

    The insurance and reinsurance sector are at the forefront of translating weather and climate information into financial and societal risks, but the industry’s focus has been on use of catastrophe models rather than incorporating climate change data and projections that can help characterize future conditions.

  • Self-Repairing Oyster Reefs to Protect Florida’s Coastlines

    By Beatriz Nina Ribeiro Oliveira

    Engineers and scientists are developing oyster-based shoreline protection for U.S. coastlines. The researchers seek to create self-repairing, biological and human-engineered reef-mimicking structures. The reef structures will be used to mitigate coastal flooding, erosion, and storm damage that threaten civilian and DOD infrastructure and personnel.

  • In Years After El Niño, Global Economy Loses Trillions

    In the years it strikes, the band of warm ocean water known as El Niño that spans from South America to Asia triggers far-reaching weather changes resulting in devastating floods, crop-killing droughts, plummeting fish populations, and an uptick in tropical diseases.