Locals at Lake Siljan in northern Sweden have told of persistent winter ice holes that often occur in the same place year after year. Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have examined the area with a completely new measurement method and discovered unexpectedly strong methane emissions from several places on the lakes in the area – which is the cause of the holes in the ice.

This type of long-term and concentrated methane emission has never been observed by a lake, and the researchers will now investigate whether the emissions are unique to Siljan – or a phenomenon that can occur in lakes all over the world.

Utah's locally sourced dust pollution carries far more hazardous elements than natural dust blown in from Great Basin, potentially threatening Salt Lake City’ water supplies, according to new research led by University of Utah.

A paper published in National Science Review highlights the role of China's natural terrestrial ecosystems (NTEs) as significant sources and sinks of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), two potent greenhouse gases. The study, led by Dr. Tingting Li and her team, compiles a new CH₄ and N₂O inventory for China's NTEs from 1980 to 2020, revealing the complex interplay between climate change, land-use changes, and greenhouse gas emissions. The findings underscore the importance of NTEs in global greenhouse gas budgets and provide recommendations for enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing emissions.

Storm forecasting is traditionally based on studying atmospheric conditions but ground-breaking research that also looks at land surface conditions is set to transform early warning systems in tropical regions. This will enable communities to better adapt to the destructive impacts of climate change.

The new study led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has shown that a large contrast in soil moisture levels over a range of hundreds of kilometres results in atmospheric changes that increase rainfall area and amount in several megastorm hotspots globally. This increase ranges from 10 to 30% depending on the region and size of the storm.

An international study led by the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Meteorological Institute has demonstrated that the formation and properties of lower-atmosphere clouds are highly sensitive to changes in atmospheric aerosol concentrations. This finding is significant as it impacts the assessment of how much human-induced fine particles have slowed down climate warming caused by greenhouse gases. The study was published in the prestigious Nature Geoscience journal.