#Climate change

#Climate change

Early in her military career, she collapsed from heat exhaustion while carrying a 65lb pack on a sweltering hike in Quantico, Virginia. Years later in Afghanistan, Rivera drove a truck in temperatures nearing 120F (49C). But she was ready. She had taken a mechanics course twice to make sure she could fix the truck's air conditioning if it failed. She knew extreme heat could incapacitate her marines. They need water and good temps like everybody, she said.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

After months of slight temperature shifts in the Pacific Ocean, La Niña has officially returned - the climate pattern that typically drives drought in Southern California. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that La Niña conditions had arrived, a possibly foreboding sign for the Southland. The southern half of the Golden State still has not bounced back from the last year of below-average rainfall, and the reemergence of the ocean phenomenon could mean more drought, with another drier-than-average winter.

As a Los Altos Hills homeowner who treasures the open space that surrounds my neighborhood, I applaud the efforts of the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council to seek a grant to set up a South Bay Prescribed Burn Association. Prescribed burns reduce fuels, leading to less intense wildfires, along with other proven benefits, such as promoting the resilience of forest habitats.

When Floridians first heard about tropical storm Helene's rapid intensification in late September 2024, they initially anticipated the storm to hit as a Category 2 hurricane. However, on September 26, it made landfall near Cedar Key as a Category 4 hurricane. The storm caused widespread damage across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. A state of emergency was implemented for 49 Florida counties, and people were asked to evacuate from several areas. But because the storm worsened so quickly, many people had to rush their preparation.

Birds throughout the US have adopted a disturbing habit that could have devastating implications for human society if it continues. Researchers have found that birds are abandoning their usual migration patterns, with warmer temperatures in their winter habitats disrupting their annual flights While delaying their yearly flight south may not sound like a major problem, a visiting scientist at Cornell University, Andrew Farnsworth, warned that it could lead to many bird species dying out and drastically altering nature.

Rescuers have guided more than 350 people to safety after they were stranded by blizzard-like conditions on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, Chinese state media reported on Sunday. In total, more than 500 people were caught by surprise when unusually heavy snow and rainfall lashed them on the way in the Tingri region of Tibet, one of the main routes to ascend the world's tallest mountain.

About 15 million deaths could be avoided each year and agricultural emissions could drop by 15% if people worldwide shift to healthier, predominantly plant-based diets, according to the EAT-Lancet Commission, which brought together scientists worldwide to review the latest data on food's role in human health, climate change, biodiversity and people's working and living conditions. Their conclusion: Without substantial changes to the food system, the worst effects of climate change will be unavoidable, even if humans successfully switch to cleaner energy.

Our town is supposed to be well developed because we have oil. We are supposed to be the heartbeat of Nigeria,' she says. They have taken so much from us and given us nothing in return.' Photograph: Etinosa Yvonne/ActionAid The land defender Chan Kimcheng lives in Trapeang Pris, in Koh Kong province, which she says was once home to nearly 50 freshwater ponds.

For as long as there have been people in what is now California, the granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada have held masses of ice, according to new research that shows the glaciers have probably existed since the last Ice Age more than 11,000 years ago. The remnants of these glaciers, which have already shrunk dramatically since the late 1800s, are retreating year after year, and are projected to melt completely this century as global temperatures continue to rise.

The world's biggest capital cities are now sweltering under 25% more extremely hot days each year than in the 1990s, an analysis has found. Without urgent action to protect millions of people from high temperatures, more and more will suffer in the dangerous conditions, analysts said. From Washington DC and Madrid to Tokyo and Beijing, the analysis shows a marked rise in hot days as the climate crisis intensifies.

Mohabir's poems plumb and reimagine the history of human interaction with these aquatic mammals, classified by science as cetaceans. Mohabir's poetry is as existential as it is timely, political, and emotional. Each poem invites readers to contemplate the wondrous-what it's like to be alive, for cetaceans and for Homo sapiens. Within the space of a stanza, he roves through questions about scientific classification, immigrant identity, carnal desire, and climate change.

Gavin Abundis watched as firefighter Adrian Chairez demonstrated how he uses pulleys and harnesses to rappel down buildings. You've probably seen it in the movies where they're going down Mission: Impossible style, Chairez said with a laugh one day this past winter as he prepared to step off a tower. We get to do that. Abundis, a then senior at Aptos high cchool in Santa Cruz county's Pajaro Valley unified school district,

'These results are very concerning,' said Professor Lizzie Kendon, Head of Climate Projections at the UK Met Office and an author of the study. 'They imply we need to be prepared for tropical-type hailstorms impacting Europe in the future, associated with very large hailstones that can cause severe impacts. 'This possibility also extends to the UK, although the risk of hail here remains low into the future.'

When I first started researching antinatalism a few years ago I presumed its proponents would be losers and edgelords. You know, those men who love playing devil's advocate. Incels masquerading as philosophers and 14-year-olds who have just discovered Nietzsche. The world's most famous antinatalist academic, David Benatar, has a book called The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys. I remember rolling my eyes back into my skull, thinking: here we go.

The erosion from saline winds is clearly visible at the Baths of Antoninus, one of the three largest Roman bath complexes ever built and the only one on African soil. Numerous columns are cordoned off for their protection. At the nearby Punic Port site along the coast, which serviced Carthaginian and Roman ships, parts of the port island can be seen crumbling into the sea.

While it is correct that everyone will feel the effects of climate change, the extent to which it impacts people differs-people's access to information and knowledge, for example, is one of the most important differentiating factors. During the wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year, a UCLA study showed that affected communities with limited English proficiency suffered specific challenges as a result of not being able to understand alerts and information shared.

Dudgeon, D. et al. Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biol. Rev. 81, 163182 (2006). Article PubMed Google Scholar

It was dark and smelled of rotten leaves. As I shook the tube, I tried to keep the muck from getting on my shoes. There must have been three or four gallons of it. Contorted in an uncomfortable crouch and harassed by bugs as the water glugged slowly out of the little hole, I felt impatient. I was ready to share my grubby prize with my friends, but the hole was so small and I was still far from the road.

"The \"Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year Awards 2025\" celebrates its tenth anniversary with a stunning shortlist of global weather photography, ranging from dramatic storms to delicate cloud formations. Organized by the UK's Royal Meteorological Society, the competition not only honors visual artistry but also raises awareness about climate change and environmental issues. This year's entries reflect a growing trend of smartphone photography, proving that powerful storytelling can come from anyone, anywhere."