Science

Scientists are working to figure out how climate change influences tornadoes

4:54pm December 13, 2021

by Dan Charles

Tornadoes remain among the most unpredictable weather events. Unlike hurricanes, there's little evidence so far that the planet's warming climate is producing more of them, or more severe ones.

Mayfield, Ky., is among the places hit by devastating tornadoes over the weekend.

Science

The exact link between tornadoes and climate change is hard to draw. Here's why

1:24pm December 13, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

The link between tornadoes, like the ones that hit Kentucky over the weekend, and climate change isn't as clear as it is for other extreme weather events, though scientists say the clues are there.

Rachel Sklar, an environmental epidemiologist and postdoctoral scholar is seen at the San Quentin State Prison in California, collecting data on COVID-19 transmission in the state's prison population. Sklar, who is of Filipino descent, says she has been d

Science

Southeast Asians are underrepresented in STEM. The label 'Asian' boxes them out more

7:00am December 12, 2021

by Deepa Shivaram

The way data on racial groups is typically collected in the U.S. has sidelined smaller Asian populations like Hmong, Lao and Filipino Americans for decades. Now, there are growing calls for change.

The wastewater facility in San Jose, Calif., processes sewage from about 1.4 million people and 22,000 businesses. The facility is part of a network of communities testing their wastewater for the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Poop sleuths hunt for early signs of omicron in sewage

6:45pm December 09, 2021

by Raquel Maria Dillon

Scientists have identified the new coronavirus variant in wastewater in a few U.S. cities. This type of surveillance can help communities stay a step ahead of omicron's spread.

New sounds show how life is back in recovered corals reefs

5:02pm December 09, 2021

A new study shows that restoring coral reefs can bring ecosystems back to life — and with them, their sounds.

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New research says baboon breakups are mutual

5:59pm December 08, 2021

Just like humans, groups of baboons sometimes break off relations. Scientists have studied the dynamics of such breakups and say baboons tend to split up in a cooperative, egalitarian way.

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Studies suggest sharp drop in vaccine protection vs. omicron — yet cause for optimism

5:03pm December 08, 2021

by Michaeleen Doucleff

In small studies in South Africa and in Germany, the results indicate a marked decrease in the ability of vaccines to neutralize this variant. But there are other findings that are encouraging.

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A swarm of more than 50 earthquakes has been detected off the Oregon coast in the past 24 hours, prompting seismologists to reassure Pacific Northwest residents that they're not in danger. The Blanco Transform Fault Zone is very active, but it poses littl

50 earthquakes hit off the Oregon coast, but scientists say they're no great shakes

3:37pm December 08, 2021

by Bill Chappell

A swarm of earthquakes led some people to worry that the seismic activity might portend The Big One. But seismologists say that given the location of the quakes, there was no cause for alarm.

Members of the Black Equity Coalition, a grassroots team of researchers and advocates, meet regularly to discuss how they can use data to uncover life-threatening disparities between white and Black Pittsburgh. Clockwise, from top left are Kellie Ware, Ka

Data analysts proved what Black Pittsburgh knew about COVID's racial disparities

1:56pm December 07, 2021

by Christine Spolar

Community leaders saw early in the pandemic that the city's residents of color were being hit hard by COVID-19. They worked with data analysts to show just how hard, where and why.

Activists protesting "greenwashing," in which a company or government appears to do more for the environment than it is, gather outside the JP Morgan premises near the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit.

Carbon trading gets a green light from the U.N., and Brazil hopes to earn billions

8:16pm December 06, 2021

by Dan Charles

Carbon offsets got a big boost from November's U.N. climate summit. New rules could make it easier for companies to pay for carbon-cutting projects in other countries, rather than doing it themselves.

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