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The eruption of the Laacher See volcano in the Eifel in Germany is one of Central Europe's largest eruptions over the past 100,000 years. Technical advances in combination with tree remains buried in the course of the eruption now enabled an international research team to accurately date the event. Accordingly, the eruption of the Laacher See volcano occurred 13,077 years ago and thus 126 years earlier than previously assumed.

New research from marine biologists offers answers to a fundamental puzzle that had until now remained unsolved: why are some fish warm-blooded when most are not? It turns out that while (warm-blooded) fish able to regulate their own body temperatures can swim faster, they do not live in waters spanning a broader range of temperatures.

Last August, sea ice north of Greenland showed its vulnerability to the long-term effects of climate change. The region, part of what's known as the "Last Ice Area" that could serve as a refuge for ice-dependent species, may be ice-free in summertime sooner than expected.

Research by Salk Institute scientists offers a new understanding of how gene activity directs plant growth, and how quickly plants respond to their environment -- with shifting light conditions triggering molecular changes in as little as five minutes. The findings provide insights into how to increase yield and safeguard world food production as climate change shrinks the planet's arable land.

A new mathematical model has been developed by QUT researchers to uncover land clearing when satellite imagery is obstructed by clouds.

A combination of factors makes a warming climate beneficial to rattlesnakes. The snakes are experts at thermoregulation, need few calories to survive, and would likely have more active time seasonally and during a given day.