ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News

Carbon release from ocean helped end the Ice Age Posted: 11 Feb 2015 10:20 AM PST A release of carbon dioxide from the deep ocean helped bring an end to the last Ice Age, according to new research. The study shows that carbon stored in an isolated reservoir deep in the Southern Ocean re-connected with the atmosphere, driving a rise in atmospheric CO2 and an increase in global temperatures. The finding gives scientists an insight into how the ocean affects the carbon cycle and climate change.

Want to save the planet? Neighbors better allies than family Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:29 AM PST Socializing with neighbors leads to more planet-friendly behaviors than spending time with friends or family, research finds. That's due to the diversity of neighbors and overwhelming similarity of loved ones, researchers say. So be kind to your neighbors: they may hold the secret to greater action on climate change.

Predicting plant responses to drought Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:26 PM PST A new study shows how plants' vulnerability to drought varies across the landscape; factors such as plant structure and soil type where the plant is growing can either make them more vulnerable or protect them from declines.

Advent of geoengineering may help lower temperature of debate over climate change Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:26 PM PST Geoengineering, an emerging technology aimed at counteracting the effects of human-caused climate change, also has the potential to counteract political polarization over global warming, according to a new study.

Methane emissions vary at natural gas gathering and processing facilities Posted: 10 Feb 2015 05:59 PM PST A new study found wide variations in the amount of methane being emitted at U.S. natural gas gathering facilities and processing plants. Their findings indicate facility-level methane emissions ranged from less than 1 kilogram per hour to 698 kilograms per hour, while loss rates ranged from less than 0.01 percent to greater than 10 percent.