Snapping shrimp may ring 'dinner bell' for gray whales off the Oregon coast Snapping shrimp may ring 'dinner bell' for gray whales off the Oregon coast Editor's note: The following story is adapted from a news article released by the American Geophysical Union on February 13, 2018. PORTLAND — Scientists have for the first time captured the sounds of snapping shrimp off the Oregon coast and think the loud crackling from the snapping of their claws may serve as a dinner bell for eastern Pacific gray whales, according to new research by NOAA and Oregon State University presented here today. Read more
New research: Forests minimize severe heat waves New research: Forests minimize severe heat waves Extensive, mature forest cover can mitigate the impact of severe heat waves, droughts and other weather extremes over large regions, according to new NOAA research published in the journal Nature Communications. Read more
NOAA scientists set sail on Coast Guard icebreaker to measure change in the Arctic NOAA scientists set sail on Coast Guard icebreaker to measure change in the Arctic On Friday, August 25, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy will sail from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, with a team of NOAA scientists and collaborators on a 22-day cruise to study environmental change in the western Arctic Ocean. Read more
New robotic lab tracking toxicity of Lake Erie algal bloom New robotic lab tracking toxicity of Lake Erie algal bloom Editor's note: This story and video were shared with NOAA by the University of Michigan. Please go online to read the more detailed article by Jim Erickson, senior public relations representative at UMichigan. ANN ARBOR—A new research tool to safeguard drinking water is now keeping a watchful eye on Lake Erie. This week, a robotic lake-bottom laboratory began tracking the levels of dangerous toxins produced by cyanobacteria that bloom each summer in the lake's western basin. Read more
The spirit of collaboration aboard Gulf of Mexico cruise The spirit of collaboration aboard Gulf of Mexico cruise This summer, NOAA and partner scientists will conduct their most collaborative ocean acidification sampling of the Gulf of Mexico yet. Set to depart today, July 18 th, the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Carbon Cruise (GOMECC-3) will travel through international waters with 24 scientists from the United States, Mexico and Cuba on board. Read more
New model reveals how ocean acidification challenges tiny sea snails off U.S. West Coast New model reveals how ocean acidification challenges tiny sea snails off U.S. West Coast A tiny sea snail, sometimes called a sea butterfly because of how it flutters about traveling the ocean currents, is part of the diet for such valuable fish as salmon and cod off the U.S West Coast. A new study models the journey of this delicate plankton from offshore to nearshore waters, describing how changing ocean chemistry along this journey affects their condition. Read more
Rise of carbon dioxide unabated 4Jun2020 Read more Atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory reached a seasonal peak of 417.1 parts per million for 2020 in May, the highest monthly reading ever recorded. Monthly CO2 values at Mauna Loa first breached the 400 ppm threshold in 2014, and are now at levels not experienced by the atmosphere in several million years. Read more
Dangerous humid heat extremes occurring decades before expected 8May2020 Read more Climate models project that combinations of heat and humidity could reach deadly thresholds for anyone spending several hours outdoors by the end of the 21st century. However, new NOAA-supported research says these extremes are already happening — decades before anticipated — due to global warming to date. Read more
NOAA unveils 10-year roadmap for tackling ocean, Great Lakes acidification 29Jul2020 Read more Read more
Warming influence of greenhouse gases continues to rise, NOAA finds 28May2020 Read more NOAA’s Annual Greenhouse Gas Index tracks the concentrations of greenhouse gases being added to the atmosphere principally from human-caused emissions. The AGGI then calculates the heat being added to Earth's atmosphere and oceans as a result. Read more
NOAA teams with United Nations to create locust-tracking application 7May2020 Read more NOAA’s powerful air quality model used to track pollution from wildfires, volcanoes and industrial accidents is now being used to help warn communities across Africa and Asia of what have been called the worst locust swarms in a quarter century. Read more