City type specifies carbon cycle
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02646-5
City type specifies carbon cycle
Nature Climate Change…
This summer, the American water crisis becomes real
Two high-profile water crises, juiced up by climate change and industrial overuse, are building in the U.S. From a city in Texas staring down a drought emergency to a decades-long political crisis coming to a head for the states that rely on the Colorado River, water issues in the West will take center stage this summer — and experts tell WIRED that other places should take notes and start planning ahead for their own future.
In February, following a winter of record-breaking heat, snowpack in various mountain ranges across the American West reached record lows. March came in even hotter, smashing records in states across the region.
“What happened in March was unprecedented and stunning and disturbing and out of this world, frankly — we had temperatures the likes of which we have never seen and couldn’t …
Birds of Florida: A Guide to Iconic & Must-See FL Bird Species
Florida’s diverse landscapes—from coastal marshes and mangroves to pine forests, dry scrub, and open wetlands—support an impressive variety of bird species. This guide to the birds of Florida highlights some of the state’s most characteristic, iconic, and regionally notable species, offering a practical starting point for birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts, and anyone interested in Florida’s natural history.
From the pink brilliance of the Roseate Spoonbill to the quiet presence of Bachman’s Sparrow in longleaf pine habitat, each species reflects a different part of Florida’s ecology. This is not an exhaustive list, but it captures many of the birds that help make Florida one of North America’s best birding destinations.
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…Release: Senate Bill Aims to Strengthen USDA Support for Urban and Innovative Farmers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
press@sustainableagriculture.net
Tel. 347.563.6408
Release: Senate Bill Aims to Strengthen USDA Support for Urban and Innovative Farmers
Washington, DC, May 4, 2026 – Late last week, Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act S.4470. This bill provides programmatic improvements and resources for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to address the growing program demand and equip the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Centers with tools to support the unique needs of urban and innovative operations. Specifically, it would promote the delivery of conservation planning and business technical assistance, enable subawards in existing grants to deliver more resources to farmers, and direct …
Rural North Carolina fights back against PFAS contamination
For more than half a century, residents of Sampson County, North Carolina have watched their local landfill grow to nearly 1,300 acres, becoming the largest in the state. Garbage now arrives from far beyond the county line, traveling from all over the state. For locals like Sherri White-Williamson, the scale of the operation has become a source of concern. She grew up in the county, and was alarmed by potential for landfill chemicals leaching into residents’ groundwater and the impact it may be having on their health. “Many of the folks out around that landfill are on well water,” White-Williamson explained. “They are drinking in it, they’re bathing in it, they’re using it to water gardens and animals.”
She worked for years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, working in its Office of Environmental Justice, where public outreach …
The importance of recognizing opportunities in climate change impacts
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02626-9
Assessing risk and adverse impacts associated with climate change is essential to inform adaptation efforts. However, this Perspective argues that knowledge of potentially beneficial impacts is also crucial for adaptation, requiring modifications of current impact and adaptation research frameworks.
Nature Climate Change…
The ramifications of record-shattering heat on the West’s ecosystems
In March, a month traditionally known for heavy mountain snows and dreary lower-elevation weather, a heat wave settled across the West, shattering temperature records from Tucson, Arizona, to Casper, Wyoming.
The heat wave’s intensity and early arrival shocked many climate scientists. “It is exceptionally difficult for the Earth system to produce temperatures this warm so early in the season,” wrote Daniel Swain, a climatologist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources who runs the Weather West blog.
Yet not only did Western locations set new March highs; many exceeded temperature records for May. And those high temperatures kept hanging on, said Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at the nonprofit science center Climate Central, for nearly two weeks.
While heat waves are a natural phenomenon, this was the earliest and most widespread one ever recorded …
Killer Whale (Orca): Orcinus orca Facts and ID Guide
The killer whale, also known as the orca, is one of the ocean’s most recognizable predators. This fearsome marine mammal is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae) – and therefore closely related to the somewhat less intimidating bottlenose dolphin.
The killer whale has the scientific name Orcinus orca and belongs to the mammalian infraorder Cetacea, which contains all of the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises.
With its bold black-and-white pattern, complex social life, and flexible hunting strategies, the orca has captivated people around the world for centuries.
You may not want to meet one in person (at least, not without the safety of a secure boat), but you can’t help but be impressed at the strength, speed and intelligence of this apex ocean predator.