Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. A new analysis of ancient crystal grains embedded in rocks from the Australian outback suggests that Earth had dry land and fresh water about 4 billion years ago – a time when scientists thought the … Read more
When people think about the risks of climate change, the idea of abrupt changes is quite frightening. Films like “The Day After Tomorrow” fuel that fear, with visions of unimaginable storms and populations fleeing to escape rapidly changing temperatures. While Hollywood clearly takes liberties with the speed and scale of disasters, several recent real-world studies … Read more
When people think about the risks of climate change, the idea of abrupt changes is quite frightening. Films like “The Day After Tomorrow” fuel that fear, with visions of unimaginable storms and populations fleeing to escape rapidly changing temperatures. While Hollywood clearly takes liberties with the speed and scale of disasters, several recent real-world studies … Read more
As the world warms due to human-induced climate change, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many people to access fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. That’s because the warming world is leading to erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat and periods of drought – on top of decades of poor water management and extraction policies … Read more
As the Arctic warms, its mighty rivers are changing in ways that could have enormous consequences – not just for the Arctic but for the world. Rivers represent the land branch of Earth’s hydrological cycle. As rain and snow fall, rivers transport freshwater runoff along with dissolved organic and particulate materials, including carbon, to coastal … Read more
Super storms, abrupt climate shifts and New York City frozen in ice. For example, the blockbuster Hollywood film “The Day After Tomorrow” depicted an abrupt cessation of the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean and its catastrophic consequences. Although Hollywood’s vision was exaggerated, the 2004 film raised a serious question: If global warming halts the Atlantic … Read more