Climate science
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I saw a very interesting article in Nature magazine this week about how dandelion seeds float through the air. Apparently the science of how they sustain flight after someone blows them away was not well understood, and when researchers figured it out, it showed a new method of flight that has not been previously seen…
Posted in: Climate science -
This week the New York Times published a long article looking at whether farmers in Georgia that have been affected by recent storms like Hurricane Michael are attributing the impacts from these storms to climate change. While most farmers think that they are primarily caused by year-to-year weather variations, which I usually call “climate variability”,…
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This week’s question from the Georgia Climate Project’s Roadmap has to deal with how coastal managers will have to make choices about coastal management. They will have to determine how to deal with the effects of climate change such as rising sea levels and increases in hurricane strength (although not necessarily frequency), changes in salinity…
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A new paper published this week in the journal Climate and Atmospheric Science shows that trends in tornado frequency have decreased in parts of the Plains that are usually thought of as part of “Tornado Alley.” At the same time, the frequency of tornadoes in most of the Southeast has increased, especially in Alabama and…
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This week’s question from the Georgia Climate Project Roadmap deals with how we communicate the science and potential impacts of climate change on Georgia to K-12 and college educators. It also discusses the best ways to provide appropriate information to them for use in their class curricula. Teaching children and young adults about how climate…
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The flooding from Hurricane Florence caused a lot of different impacts around North and South Carolina, including impacts on agriculture, highways, businesses and residences, but one impact that I have not read much about is the impact on potable water supplies. Since many water treatment plants are built near rivers, deep floods can destroy them…
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With all the flooding we have had this summer from heavy rains and tropical storms, it’s a good idea to understand why wading through floodwaters can be hazardous to your health, even if you are not in danger of drowning. Floods can cause the release of all kinds of toxic and hazardous chemicals, as witnessed…