The inner workings of volcanoes that erupt with little warning are being revealed, exposing potentially new ways to monitor them.
The big picture: The science of volcanoes — and the monitoring and forecasting tools it informs — is largely based on what's known about a handful of the world's most studied volcanoes, including Mount Etna in Italy, that typically show signs of eruption.
An intense, sprawling heat dome is causing the most intense, long-lasting heat wave of the summer in parts of the West.
The big picture: This heat wave will be a record-breaking event lasting into next week in California and surrounding states. It brings with it serious public health dangers, electric grid challenges and wildfire risks, officials warn.
The James Webb Space Telescope team on Thursday released its first direct image of a planet outside our solar system.
The big picture: More than 5,000 exoplanets have been discovered over the past 30 years, giving astronomers hints about the variety of worlds in the universe. Direct images of these distant planets are expected to provide more details about their composition and formation — and open the next chapter in the search for life beyond Earth.
Ocean heat content, global sea levels and greenhouse gas concentrations all reached record highs in 2021, according to the State of the Climate report published Wednesday.
The big picture: The annual report showcases compelling scientific evidence that climate change has global impacts and shows no sign of slowing, said Rick Spinrad of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which led the study.
California's grid operator issued a statewide "flex alert" for Wednesday and Thursday as an intense heat wave increased electrical demand and threatened available power supplies.
Driving the news: Residents are asked to voluntary conserve energy from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on both days while the excessive heat increases air condition use, per the California Independent System Operator, which runs most of the state’s electric grid.
A prolonged and intense heat wave has begun to swelter much of the Southwest this week — and by early next week, dozens of records are likely to have been set.
What to expect: The heat wave is forecast to culminate with a dangerously hot Labor Day weekend across much of California, Nevada, Oregon and surrounding states in the West.
