Glaciers are fighting back against climate change by cooling the air that touches their surfaces. But for how long? The Pellicciotti group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has compiled and re-analyzed an unprecedented dataset of on-glacier observations worldwide. Their findings, published in Nature Climate Change, demonstrate that glaciers will likely reach the peak of their self-cooling power by the next decade before their near-surface temperatures spike up and melting accelerates.

A 6-year cohort study conducted by researchers from Japan, comprising nearly 39,000 older adults found that people living in rental flats and owner-occupied detached houses face higher risks of cardiovascular death compared with those in owner-occupied flats. The study attributes to the increased risk to colder, less stable indoor temperatures in these housing types and suggests that improving housing quality to address these issues could lower cardiovascular mortality, particularly among men.

Microscopic organisms that regulate Earth’s climate and sustain ocean ecosystems take centre stage in a new awareness campaign. Five European research organisations propose 10 October as International Coccolithophore Day, highlighting the calcite-plated plankton that drive the ocean's carbon cycle, shape the climate, and support food webs. Their plates sink to archive climate history, while European projects track how warming, acidification, and ecology affect carbon storage.

Scientists from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Lanzhou University decoded the genomes of Engelhardia taxa, demonstrating how their genomic evolution was influenced by the East Asian Summer Monsoon.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have investigated the genetic diversity and future distribution of Shorea macrophylla (Dipterocarpaceae), an important tree species endemic to Borneo. They found that populations in northeastern Borneo represent the species' origin. Climate change projections suggest that suitable habitat for this tree will expand in the future.

A global study has found that adding biochar to organic waste composting can significantly reduce emissions of potent greenhouse gases, offering a promising pathway for sustainable waste recycling and climate change mitigation.

Climate-driven oxygen loss in the Black Sea thousands of years ago triggered the expansion of microorganisms capable of producing the potent neurotoxin methylmercury. That is shown in a new study published in Nature Water, led by Eric Capo at Umeå University, which suggests that similar processes could occur in today’s warming oceans.