Science Saturday: Climate Change Impacts and Lunar Discoveries
This week, we delve into significant scientific breakthroughs that have shaped our understanding of the planet and beyond over the past year.
California Wildfires: A Reflection of Extreme Weather
The devastating wildfires in Southern California have been a stark reminder of the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Supersized Santa Ana winds reaching speeds of 161 kilometers per hour, prolonged droughts, and record-high temperatures have created the perfect conditions for these infernos. The growth of abundant vegetation during downpours, which later dried out, further fueled the fires. Experts attribute these unprecedented weather patterns to the escalating impact of climate change.
Global Warming Hits New Highs
Climate change continues to intensify as Earth recorded the hottest year ever in 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2023. Alarmingly, global temperatures have exceeded the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius established by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Scientists point to the accumulation of greenhouse gases from the burning of coal, oil, and gas as the primary cause of this accelerated warming.
Unearthing Ancient Ice in Antarctica
In a groundbreaking expedition, scientists have drilled nearly 2.8 kilometers beneath Antarctica to retrieve ice that is at least 1.2 million years old. This surpasses their previous record of an 800,000-year-old core. The team aims to analyze greenhouse gas levels from ancient warm periods, which never exceeded those of the Industrial Revolution, to gain insight into how Earth’s atmosphere and climate have evolved over millennia.
China’s Lunar Exploration Reveals Moon’s Magnetic Past
China’s Chang’e-5 mission has uncovered evidence that the moon had a magnetic field 2 billion years ago. Experts report that this magnetic field was persistent yet weak, measuring less than 10 percent of Earth’s current field strength. This discovery suggests that the lunar dynamo—the mechanism generating the moon’s magnetic field—lasted at least until the moon’s middle years. The findings help fill a significant gap in our understanding of the moon’s magnetic evolution and offer new insights into planetary magnetic fields.
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Science Saturday: California wildfires, global warming, and more
cgtn.com
