On February 2, 1887, residents of Punxsutawney Pennsylvania consulted a large rodent regarding the arrival of spring, marking the first official celebration of Groundhog Day. Our ability to predict the timing of seasons hasn’t improved much since then, but a new study is set to make seasonal forecasting a lot more reliable.

In a recent study, rare 300-century wooden structures from the Roman Empire were investigated in a wide range of ways using NMR methods. These methods, widely known for their use in hospital MRI scans to produce detailed images of the human body, have proven equally valuable in unraveling the secrets of Europe’s archaeological treasures. Promising applications are rapidly expanding into a wide range of fields.

Recent measurements with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) cast doubt on the current understanding of the exoplanet Trappist-1 b’s nature. Until now, it was assumed to be a dark rocky planet without an atmosphere, shaped by a billion-year-long cosmic impact of radiation and meteorites. The opposite appears to be true. The surface shows no signs of weathering, which could indicate geological activity such as volcanism and plate tectonics. Alternatively, a planet with a hazy atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide is also viable. The results demonstrate the challenges of determining the properties of exoplanets with thin atmospheres.

This paper presents the post-disaster investigations, highlighting wind-induced damage to various structures. Tornadoes caused EF 1–3 level damage, downbursts caused EF 1–2 damage. Damage levels for various structures were established based on observed characteristics. CFD simulations show that opening indoor doors increases wind speed from 27 to 45 m/s ( Venturi effect), closing them reduces it to 8 m/s. During strong winds, doors and windows should be closed, and balconies should have railings to prevent accidents.

Achieving net-zero CO₂ emissions is the current main focus of China’s carbon neutrality goal. However, non-CO₂ greenhouse gases (GHGs) are more powerful climate forcers, making their emission reduction an opportunity to rapidly mitigate future warming. This study evaluates non-CO₂ mitigation potentials, costs and climate benefits in the context of China’s carbon neutrality goals. The findings indicate that mitigation technologies can largely reduce fluorinated gas emissions from industrial sectors, but long-term non-CO₂ reductions of energy sector activities rely heavily on fuel switching. Furthermore, the cumulative costs of deploying non-CO₂ mitigation technologies are projected to be less than 10% of the total costs of achieving carbon neutrality from 2020 to 2060. If non-CO₂ mitigation measures are included in the overall mitigation portfolio, the benefits of avoided warming would by far outweigh the total mitigation cost increase.

Colony surveys of common murres, an Alaskan seabird, show the full effects of the 2014-16 marine heat wave known as “the blob.” Analysis of 13 colonies surveyed between 2008 and 2022 finds that colony size in the Gulf of Alaska dropped by half after the marine heat wave. In colonies along the eastern Bering Sea, west of the peninsula, the decline was even steeper, at 75% loss. No recovery has yet been seen, the authors write.

Earth’s rainy days are changing: They’re becoming less frequent, but more intense. Vegetation is responding.