Environment
Scientists study why some of Central Asia’s glaciers are resilient to climate change
Scientists are racing to learn why some glaciers in a remote part of Central Asia’s mountains seem unaffected by climate change. Their efforts are bolstered by new strategies they’re developing to better understand how climate change will impact the world’s water resources.
Hazy skies over Accra: Harsh harmattan season in Ghana leads to health hazards, poor air quality
Severe, dry winds during the harmattan season are not new in Ghana. But experts with the country’s environmental agency say climate change is intensifying these weather conditions, leading to increased respiratory problems and poor air quality in Accra, the country’s capital.
The surprising reason why insects circle lights at night: They lose track of the sky
It’s an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is an enduring metaphor for dangerous but irresistible attractions. And watching their frenetic movements really gives the sense that something is wrong — that instead of finding food and evading predators, these nocturnal pilots are trapped by a light.
‘Birds are everywhere!’ Women bird guides in Uganda set a global example
Birdwatching is a rapidly growing and lucrative part of the tourism sector worldwide, but women make up a very small minority of professional guides. Uganda Women Birders, a bird guide club, is revolutionizing the industry by encouraging and supporting women who want to get into the business. Anita Elash reports from the town of Entebbe, Uganda.
The humble origins of the ubiquitous ‘climate stripes’
When Ellie Highwood was crocheting a blanket as a baby gift in 2017, she wanted to make something that would mean something to the baby’s climate-scientist parents. She ended up making a “global warming blanket.” And she never could have guessed the impact that the blanket would have.