Increasing aridity could lead to major problems for societies and ecosystems in already-arid places Warming climate may mean less rainfall for drought-sensitive regions of the Southern Hemisphere, according to results just published by an international research team. Geoscientist Curt Stager of Paul Smith's College in Paul Smiths, N.Y., and colleagues found that ...

The National Science Foundation has funded a study to determine past climates by studying tree rings. Environmental students from Arizona studied bristlecone pine trees to determine aspects about the Earth’s climates during the Paleo age.The study of tree growth rings to understand Earth’s past climate is called dendrochronology. As each ...

Plants subjected to a previous period of drought learn to deal with the stress thanks to their memories of the previous experience, new research has found. The findings could lead to development of crops better able to withstand drought.

During some winters a significant amount of snow falls on parts of California. During other winters — like this one (so far) — there is much less snow. But more than 130 years of snow data show that over time snowfall in California is neither increasing nor decreasing.

The Classic Maya Civilization, which flourished from 250 AD to around 950 AD, may have collapsed due to relatively modest reductions in precipitation, according to a new study by Mexican and British researchers.The study, led by Professors Martín Medina-Elizalde of the Yucatan Center for Scientific Research in Mexico and Eelco ...

A new study of soil on Mars could indicate that the planet's surface is too hostile to support life.

Mars may have been arid for more than 600 million years, making it too hostile for any life to survive on the planet’s surface, according to researchers who have been carrying out the painstaking task of analyzing individual particles of Martian soil.

Government scientists reported this month that the Southern drought that has led to $10 billion in crop and agricultural losses in 2011 will continue for at least the next three months.The drought is forecast to worsen and expand across the western United States as well.According to the recent Drought Monitor ...

Future flagship astronomy missions are at risk in this increasingly tight budget environment.

Technology couldn't prevent collapse of the great civilization of Angkor.

When a plant encounters drought, it does its best to cope with this stress by activating a set of protein molecules called receptors. Plant cell biologists have discovered how to rewire this cellular machinery to heighten the plants' stress response -- a finding that can be used to engineer crops ...

As parts of Central America and the US Southwest endure some of the worst droughts to hit those areas in decades, scientists have unearthed new evidence about ancient dry spells that suggest the future could bring even more serious water shortages. Three researchers have presented new findings about the past ...