Research briefs

Researchers found that canals cool their immediate surroundings during the day, typically extending 20–50 m from canal banks. Cooling effect is greater during spring and early summer and is noticeable during heatwaves, with cooling of more than 2°C.

A paper compares two recent strong El Niños, their differing effects on globally averaged sea level and the details that distinguished them. The work is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.

The research examines the “risk perception gap,” or the difference between climate-related mortality estimates and public perceptions of climate risk, across U.S. counties.

When a heat wave arrives, the public health advice follows a familiar script: drink water, watch for heat stroke, check on people with heart or lung conditions. That list saves lives. But it leaves out chronic pain.

A paper published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences in April 2026 uses the 2025 California wildfires as a starting point to discuss broader systemic failures in disaster risk reduction (DRR).

As regulations have reduced prenatal exposure to harmful emissions from vehicles and industry in recent years, smoke from climate-fueled wildfires is erasing air quality gains.

A way to measure hurricanes using earthquake-monitoring equipment could improve storm forecasting, support public safety, and enhance understanding of Earth’s atmosphere.

A model developed by Washington State University researchers could someday help communities determine how best to motivate homeowners to prepare their properties for possible wildfires.