Science latest
We’ve collected here some recent news reports of science related to climate change and its likely impacts on human affairs:
- It seems that plankton in the Pacific Ocean absorb less carbon dioxide than previously thought, probably due to a lack of iron. This could have implications for our models of CO2.
- As glaciers increasingly melt under the impact of climate change, they are diluting the salt concentration of the North Atlantic Ocean. See here. This could have major impacts on ocean currents.
- A pan-European study has strong evidence that climate change has altered the dates of the seasons over the last 30 years.
- The impacts of climate change are likely to be more severe for major urban areas than for other regions, with the elderly being most affected, according to a study commissioned by the Greater London Authority from University College London.
- The changes in world temperatures are likely to make bubonic plague more prevalent, according to scientists in Norway.
- With all this bad news, there is some good news: The hole in the Ozone Layer appears not to be getting any larger. Let’s hope this means our actions to mitigate climate change are having some good effects.