The Wordsmith's Forge

Why the U.S. struggles to track heat deaths and protect people from extreme temperatures

A new analysis has revealed that the United States cannot reliably count heat deaths or identify who must act when temperatures turn dangerous.

That failure can turn a clear forecast into a patchy response, leaving protection to depend on local records, budgets, and authority.


TL;DR -- People don't give a shit.

However, there are things that any individual, organization, or town can do about this even in the absence of effective government or societal action.

( Read more... )

Positive tipping points could help nature recover faster than expected

The research shows how ecosystems can cross thresholds that trigger rapid recovery, not just collapse.

These shifts, known as positive tipping points, could unlock large-scale ecological restoration.


Environments have a lot of tipping points between stable variations. One I've seen before is a pond cycle. It can be clear with lots of bass and fewer minnows, or murky with lots of minnows and fewer bass. If you're looking for tipping points that aid recovery, consider...

( Read more... )

Scientists just discovered Africa is closer to breaking apart than we thought

East Africa may be cracking open—and the same forces tearing it apart could be why we have such a vivid record of human origins.

Beneath East Africa’s Turkana Rift, scientists have found the crust is thinning to a critical point, suggesting the continent is gradually breaking apart. This “necking” process marks an advanced stage of rifting that could eventually lead to a new ocean forming millions of years from now. Surprisingly, the same geological forces that are splitting the land may also explain why the region holds such a rich fossil record. Instead of being the birthplace of humanity, Turkana may just be where the story was best preserved.


... or the rift could rip open suddenly and unexpectedly quite a bit sooner. Say, if some other part of the crust made a massive shift to release pressure. I wouldn't want to live or work near there. It's fascinating to watch from a safe distance though.

Today is Earth Day. Here are some ideas to celebrate it.

March heat in the U.S. was the largest temperature anomaly ever recorded

Heat usually doesn’t define March, a month that still carries a hint of winter’s last breath. This year, it felt more like a preview of late spring, and sometimes even early summer.

Across the United States, temperatures didn’t just creep up. They jumped far beyond what anyone would expect for that time of year.

The numbers tell a blunt story. The average temperature for March hit 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit. That is 9.35 degrees higher than the 20th-century average.

It is not just a record for March. It is the largest jump above normal for any month ever recorded in the Lower 48 states.

Daytime highs pushed even further, running 11.4 degrees above average, nearly matching what people usually feel in April.


Ya THINK? It hit 89 fucking degrees here in central Illinois. REPEATEDLY.  We're also in drought conditions.  I've had to water things already planted so they don't die, in what should be the wettest time of year. >_<  I really don't want this to be another year of eight months watering.

Beavers are turning rivers into powerful carbon sinks

Beavers might be one of nature’s most unexpected allies in locking away carbon and fighting climate change.

Beavers may be unlikely climate heroes, but new research suggests they could play a powerful role in fighting climate change. By building dams and transforming streams into wetlands, these industrious animals dramatically reshape how carbon moves and is stored in landscapes. Over just 13 years, a beaver-engineered wetland in Switzerland stored over a thousand tonnes of carbon—up to ten times more than similar areas without beavers.


It's not just carbon. Beavers also greatly reduce the impact of droughts and wildfires by storing water in the environment over large areas.  As ecosystem engineers, they create many more niches for other species to share the habitats they create -- fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, weasels, minks, otters, wading birds, waterfowl, and so on.  Crucially, they do all this work for free.  All they need is space, saplings, and a thread of water.  So if you see an opportunity for beaver restoration, jump on it.

Extreme heat limits safe activity for millions of people worldwide

Extreme heat is now stopping people from doing simple daily tasks like walking, cleaning, or working outside.

A new study shows that climate warming has changed how much activity the human body can safely handle in hot weather.

Scientists found that since the 1950s, the number of hours each year when heat becomes dangerous for normal activity has increased sharply.


Yesterday it got up to 79℉, in Illinois, in early March. That is not normal. I rely on cool spring temperatures for yardwork such as planting bare-root trees and shrubs. I had to start my summer heat-coping skills, like avoiding direct sunlight and reducing workload. Plus we had to turn on the damn air conditioner, because recently when it was 76℉ outside, the house got considerably hotter and stayed that way through the wee hours. >_<

Summer, of course, has days when I can only go out for a few minutes at a time or not at all, and I worry about the air conditioner breaking because repairs take months to complete. It's life support for me, but other people don't consider that urgent.

( Read more... )