Earth Sciences in the News

1/3/2022: How will climate change impact Earth’s ice sheets in the 21st century? And how much will sea levels rise as a result? It depends on how quickly we act, says UB geology researcher Sophie Nowicki.

11/3/2021: They’re born. They live once, erupting for a period that might last for days, years or decades. Then, they go dark and die. This narrative describes the life of a monogenetic volcano, a type of volcanic hazard that can pose important dangers despite an ephemeral existence. The landscape of the southwestern U.S. is heavily scarred by past eruptions of such volcanoes, and a new study marks a step toward understanding future risks for the region.

10/11/2021: Glaciologists have teamed up with computer scientists to build an online portal for ice sheet science. The new science gateway is called GHub, short for “Glaciology Hub,” and it houses datasets, computational tools and educational materials about the science of ice sheets and sea level rise. The site seeks to centralize these resources. It also provides a space for collaboration.

10/6/2021: For decades, scientists had debated whether P. kükenthali was its own species, or the same species as another coral called Plexaura homomalla. Because P. homomalla was known to send sperm and eggs into the water — not fully formed larvae — the 2016 sighting added a new dimension to the conversation.

9/7/21: For a decade, glaciologist Sophie Nowicki has played a lead role in coordinating international efforts to answer these and other questions about the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. The resulting research, conducted by a global community of scientists, is now helping to inform decision-making worldwide on issues relating to climate change.