Sahara Desert Expanding, Largely Due to Climate Change
At a Glance The Sahara Desert has grown by 10 percent over the past century.Climate change has had a significant impact on the expansion.The expansion is not good news, particularly for inhabitants of the neighboring Sahel border region. The world's largest desert is expanding and researchers say climate change is largely to blame. According to a study published Thursday in the Journal of Climate, the . A research team from the University of Maryland analyzed data collected since 1923 and...
The Climate Threat You Probably Didn't Know About: Laughing Gas Hotspots
At a Glance Researchers say draining wet soils for cultivation or irrigating already well-drained soilscreates laughing gas hotspots.Nitrous oxide is 300 times more efficient at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2 over a 100-year period. Laughing gas invariably conjures up uncomfortable thoughtsof the dentist chair, but rarely does it evoke a sense of danger. But researchers say laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a threat to the well-being of the planet. According to a study published earlier this month...