Earth Matters

Earth Buzz – The News Roundup

May 31st, 2011 by Adam Voiland

On Tornadoes and Climate
The Joplin twister, which a GOES satellite observed on May 23, has promoted many people to wonder if climate change has fueled the recent spree of storms. The answer: possibly La Nina (Reuters), no (Agence France-Presse), and not likely (Climate Central).

Should We Use Levees to Build in Floodplains?
The swollen Mississippi raises an old question with no easy answers. (Highly Allochthonous)


Can NYC Adapt to Rising Seas? As sea level rises, urban areas near the coast like New York City will undergo more frequent and intense episodic flooding following major storms, as well as permanent inundation of some low-lying areas. (Goddard Institute for Space Studies)

Keep Away From the Woods
Satellites spot illegal logging in remote Paraguayan forest where indigenous tribes have minimal contact with the outside world. (Wired)

Déjà vu as Russia Burns
An event reminiscent of last summer’s devastating wildfires, Russia is coping with hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. (What on Earth)

Here Comes the Smoke
A huge swath of smoke from Mexican wildfires has crossed the border and is moving toward Oklahoma. (SmogBlog)

A Hot and Wet Future?
The future will be hot, at least, hotter than the present. But temperature isn’t the only thing that will change with global warming — so will the water cycle. (Open Mind)

Comments are closed.