Climate change and their impact on our planet

Scientists Solve 66-Million-Year Climate Mystery Behind Earth's Shift From Greenhouse to Ice Age Scientists have solved a 66-million-year-old puzzle explaining how Earth shifted from a sweltering, tropical greenhouse into the frozen planet we know today. New research suggests that a sharp decline in oceanic calcium levels following the extinction of the dinosaurs played a decisive role in cooling the planet. Sharp Drop in Ocean Calcium After Dinosaur Extinction The international study, led by researchers at the University of Southampton , found that calcium concentrations in seawater fell by more than 50% over the past 66 million years. Published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences , the findings indicate that this chemical change may have removed vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, weakening the greenhouse effect and triggering long-term global cooling. Related climate, Earth and Space science coverage Seawater Chemistry as a Driver of Cl...

Sunlight in Clouds Creates Hidden Oxidants, Scientists Reveal Atmospheric Chemistry Breakthrough with Global Implications Hydroperoxides are powerful oxidizing agents that play a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry. An international research team, including scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), has now revealed that these compounds can also form from  α -keto acids such as pyruvic acid in clouds, rain and aerosol water when exposed to sunlight . The researchers estimate that these reactions could account for between 5 and 15% of hydrogen peroxide ( H₂O₂ ) observed in the atmosphere's aqueous phase. Published in Science Advances , the findings identify the photolysis of  α -keto acids  as a previously unrecognized source of atmospheric oxidants. Because such oxidation processes affect both the formation and breakdown of airborne particles and pollutants, the discovery has important implications for air-quality and climate modellin...