Weather

Why the science of tides was crucial for D-Day

June 6, 1944 the Allied Forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and took the Nazis by surprise in the largest sea-to-land invasion in history. This would be remembered as D-Day and would ultimately lead to the end of World War II in Europe. However, this planned attack wouldn't have been possible without deep knowledge of ocean tides! We get into the whole story, including why tides sit at the intersection of astronomy and marine ecology — and why understanding tides are key to a greener future.

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Are auroras coming back?

The same solar region that brought an outburst of night-time beauty in early May is coming back around. But things have changed, a space weather expert tells NPR.

Forecasters predict another sweltering summer. Are we ready?

The summer of 2023 saw skylines choked by Canadian wildfire smoke, coral cooked in hot tub-warm ocean water and a month straight of 110-degree Fahrenheit high temperatures in Phoenix.

Scientists say 2024 will likely bring another hotter-than-normal summer and, with it, the potential for more climate-driven disasters.

NPR's Rebecca Hersher says forecasters predict an extremely active Atlantic Hurricane season.

And NPR's Kirk Siegler reports on a shortage of federal wildland firefighters ahead of a high-risk wildfire season.

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