This year is crucial for understanding the trajectory of the planet's marine life, experts say, as a combination of threatening factors lines up to test species' tolerance of warmer waters.
Why it matters: The effects of extreme heat on humans and other land-dwelling animals are well-documented. Less is known about their impact on the ocean's plants and animals, which underpin economies and help the ocean to regulate the planet's climate.
The spin of the planet tilted 31.5 inches to the east between 1993 and 2010 due to humans pumping groundwater, according to a new study.
The big picture: Earth’s rotational axis drifts naturally but its direction shifted east in the 1990s. Previous research attributed that driftto large amounts of water being moved by glacial melt, groundwater removal and other activities that contribute to rises in sea level.
