Ocean Mapping Key to Survival

March, in particular, was unseasonably warm

(NEWSER) - If you found yourself thinking last month, "Wow, it's awfully hot for March," you weren't wrong. Temperatures were 8.6 degrees higher than normal last month in the contiguous US, and 6 degrees above average for January, February, and March, the AP reports. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's calculations, that's much higher than past temperature records. Why? Weather patterns including La Nina have come together in unusual ways, meteorologists say, and many are concerned climate change is a factor. More»

10% less vapor in stratosphere kept temperature increase down in 2000s

(NEWSER) - A decrease in water vapor in the stratosphere may be the reason global warming hasn't increased as fast as expected over the last 10 years. The planet warmed .18 degree from 2000 to 2009, below the forecast .25 degree. A 10% drop in stratospheric water vapor “very likely made substantial contributions to the flattening of the global warming trend,” says the lead author of a new study in Science. More»

Weather agency says 2009 among the five warmest years

(NEWSER) - This decade is very likely to be the warmest ever recorded, with 2009 ranking among the top-five warmest years, the UN’s meteorological agency told the Copenhagen climate conference today. Since records began in 1850, the warmest years have been 2005, 1998, 2007 and 2006. The current year is set to bump 2003 for the fifth spot. More»

(NEWSER) - Snorkelers and scuba divers aren’t the worst threat to the embattled coral reefs of the world—climate change, commercial fishing, and pollution take top honors—but the casual tourist can lessen, and even mitigate, the damage he or she causes, Slate reports. Of course, snorkelers shouldn’t purposefully snap off pieces of the majestic underwater life forms. But carelessly dragging equipment across coral, or walking on it, while looking for a better view is equally destructive. More»

Creatures' movements may carry carbon dioxide to ocean depths

(NEWSER) - Jellyfish may be secretly affecting the climate of the oceans: Their movements appear to help change the balance of carbon in the atmosphere, NPR reports. Many jellyfish hide from predators deep underwater during the day and head to the surface at night for a snack, says an oceanographer. When they return, a study in Nature says, they may be carrying carbon dioxide dissolved in surface water down with them. More»