To understand how climate change is altering our planet, it helps to know a little Earth science.
— Read on www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/05/earth-science-education-climate-change/629761/
Tag: science
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For February 26 – March 5, 2022

Greetings to everyone! Happy meteorological spring to folks in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy and your week is going well. With the arrival of spring across North America, the change in seasons means an increase in severe weather activity. We’ll start off this week with a series of severe weather safety infographics to help you prepare for the coming storms. There are many other topics to cover this week, so let’s get started.
- The Mars Curiosity rover rolled up to a rock on the ‘red planet’ that has a bizarre shape reminiscent of a plant.
- Unfortunately, this was inevitable. “Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Strains International Space Station Partnership.”
- The stress on the human body isn’t limited to physical health. “Psychologists Urge Peers to Take Climate Action.”
- The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report coveys a very sobering message.
- The IPCC report, which contains data from hundreds of other research reports, also has a message that both rich and poor countries will suffer from climate change.
- Our next step in dealing with climate change is to focus on solutions that will stave off immediate threats to economies, standard of living, et al. even if they aren’t what some would consider glamorous or important.
- Parts of Australia have been getting pounded by relentless heavy rainfall. “Record flooding in Australia driven by La Niña & climate change.”
- On the other end of the precipitation spectrum is the western USA which is in the grips of a long term drought. Cloud seeding, though not an old technique, is being considered as a way of bringing badly needed rains to parched regions.
- Here’s some very important information on how to receive potentially life saving severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service on your cell phone. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) may save your life.
SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK is responsible for severe weather forecasts and issuing severe weather watches for the USA. This infographic explains the risk categories and the expected hazards.

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this website should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For February 5 – 12, 2022 #science #weather #climate #wintersafety #astronomy #tonga #volcano
Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. From the Tonga volcano to increasing levels of atmospheric methane, we’ve a lot to cover this week…so let’s get started.

- A fascinating and thought provoking history and history of science read. “How the Dutch Created Europe’s First Free-Speech Zone More than 400 years Ago.“
- The planets Uranus and Neptune share many similarities. Why is it that they are two very different colors?
- As far as volcanology goes, this was a watershed event. “Why the Tongan eruption will go down in the history of volcanology.”
- An earthquake in the Pacific northwest of North America could produce a devastating tsunami across several USA states.
- It’s time to recycle those old plastic cups, water bottles, etc. “Americans exposed to toxic BPA at levels far above what European Union considers safe.“
- Speaking of recycling and cutting back on waste…I certainly have my share. “How to cut material use in buildings, clothes, electronics & plastic.”
- Some very sobering results from this new study. ‘Barely 15% Of The World’s Coastal Regions Remain Ecologically Intact.‘
- A new study from NOAA presents information about ‘dangerously fast’ growth in atmospheric methane.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
Even in winter, a safety/emergency kit can be a life saver. This handy checklist from the American Red Cross will help you get started.

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 29 – February 5, 2022

Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. The big weather story for much of North America this week has been back-to-back winter storms. Speaking of winter, for this week’s winter weather safety, a review of how wind chill affects your body. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.
- Is it too much trouble to engage in fact checking & critical thinking? Social media platforms haven’t been holding up their promise to debunk misinformation, disinformation, fact check, and basically keep their platforms civil. “Social Media Platforms Failing To Tackle Abuse Of Scientists.“
- This is an excellent and very timely read that will help alleviate much of the misconceptions of how science and the scientific method works. “What Is A Scientific Theory?“
- A very thought provoking read on the 1918 influenza pandemic & its unmistakable connections to our current COVID-19 health crisis. It would behoove us greatly to learn from the past.
- Here’s a fascinating astronomy read about that humble star that we on Earth refer to as the Sun.
- Now, let’s go to the moon and talk about ‘moon trees.’
- This is a novel idea that, with some luck, will spread to other cities around the world. “Hong Kong’s car pollution sensors help it clean its air in world first.”
- This is yet another victim of our warming planet. The highest glacier on Mount Everest is rapidly melting.
- Methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas and second to carbon dioxide in the level of harm is produces, has been detected by satellites leaking in large quantities from gas pipelines.
- The flood risk across the USA has been an ongoing threat for generations. By some accounts, it’s about to get much worse and for an unexpected reason.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 22 – 29, 2022
Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. For this week’s winter weather safety, a review of dressing for the cold to stave off hypothermia and frostbite. If you’re interested in citizen science and contributing to weather research, we’ve a link for a great app. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

- If you’d like to contribute to weather research through a simple weather app, please check out the mPING app. It’s a great way to contribute to weather forecasting and observation data regardless of the season or climate you live in.
- The importance of science communication & subtle differences in words can’t be underestimated. “COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless.”
- The importance of soil to our daily lives is a topic that is frequently overlooked. “A Call For Governments To Save Soil.“
- The strain that climate change puts on agriculture is an expense that ultimately the taxpayer has to pick up the tab for.
- Walking on ice can be very tricky…and even dangerous. Here’s an excellent read on how to get across the slippery surface in a safe manner.
- If 2021 seemed to be a very warm year during the summer months, you weren’t imagining things. Last year was one of the seven hottest years on record according to the World Meteorological Organization.
- While on the topic of 2021, here’s an excellent overview of the USA’s billion dollar weather and climate disasters within a historical context.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
The key word to remember when dressing for cold weather…layers!

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! Thanks to everyone for stopping by. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 15 – 22, 2022 #science #weather #climate #wintersafety #tonga #tongavolcano
Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week . There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

- Let’s start off with some good news. Near Tahiti, a new and rare area of ‘pristine’ coral reed has been discovered.
- There’s been a great deal of discussion as of late regarding what kind of mask to wear during the COVID pandemic. If possible, KN95 or N95 masks are the best options to choose over cloth. Personally speaking, I’ve worn KN95 masks and have found them very affordable, effective, and comfortable.
- The passing of the great scientist E.O. Wilson was the end of a priceless era in scientific research. Unfortunately, it also provided some elements a chance to take caustic ad hominem attacks.
- The Tonga volcanic eruption of 15 January 2022 was a very rare event that set off a tsunami and sent shockwaves through the earth’s atmosphere that circled the globe.
- After the Tonga volcano eruption, ripples were sent through the atmosphere that are puzzling atmospheric scientists.
- If 2021 seemed to be a very warm year during the summer months, you weren’t imagining things. Last year was one of the seven hottest years on record according to the World Meteorological Organization.
- The latest US Drought Monitor shows considerable drought conditions persist across much of the western and great plains states.
- Here’s the latest NOAA outlook on the current La Niña with all the details we need to know about the coming months.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! I hope the new year is happy and healthy one for you and your loved ones. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday! Happy New Year!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 8 – 15, 2022

Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy an having a good week. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week . There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.
- We will start with some good news about the James Webb Space Telescope and it’s careful steps to becoming fully functional.
- This is a new year goal that most all of us can take part in…auditing how much plastic you use and then begin cutting back.
- According to this new study, microplastics can be present in rivers for a considerable amount of time before they reach oceans.
- Here’s a very thought provoking read with a different perspective on weather disasters. “Stop blaming the climate for disasters.“
- NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has just compiled their look at severe weather events across the USA in 2021.
- It’s no surprise that 2021 was a record year in terms of global warmth. December 2021 alone saw record warmth. In terms of disasters, twenty billion dollar disasters occurred.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
This infographic has important information on dressing for cold weather. With a significant winter storm underway as of this post, here’s a quick reminder on dressing to avoid frostbite and hypothermia.

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! I hope the new year is happy and healthy one for you and your loved ones. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday! Happy New Year!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For January 1 – 8, 2022
Greetings to everyone! I hope this weeks post finds all of you healthy and with a good start to the new year. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week with an excellent emergency kit checklist. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

- This is a very thought provoking read on five myths that encourage the rejection of science and its benefits to the world we live in.
- The more we look at our own galaxy, the more we realize that we’re just beginning to scratch the surface about our “home” in the universe.
- This week has more good news from the James Webb Space Telescope. It’s sunshield is now fully deployed!
- Here’s a concise review of the histrionic weather and climate events of 2021 from AccuWeather.
- This is a very interesting cause and effect scenario that is taking place in western Africa. As deforestation increases, so does the intensity of local storms.
- The winter weather as of late has been on the warm side according to the UK’s Met Office. Is there a connection to climate change?
- Yet another record breaking year for climate records. “More than 400 weather stations beat heat records in 2021.” Ten national temperature records were broken or equaled in 2021, including the highest ever reliably measured on Earth.
- As if the year 2021 could not get more weird. Data from a lightning detection network has never seen as much lightning around the North Pole as it did last year.
- Speaking of unusual warmth, ocean temperatures around eastern Australia have been exceptionally warm even for this time of year during their summer. Early January ocean temperatures are running almost two months ahead of schedule.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
This infographic is an excellent checklist for starting an emergency kit. Regardless of where you live and the hazards you may encounter, an emergency kit can provide valuable resources to help you get through a very difficult scenario.

Please keep in mind that ONLY your local National Weather Service office, NOAA Weather Radio, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving, information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! I hope the new year is happy and healthy one for you and your loved ones. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday! Happy New Year!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For December 25, 2021 – January 1, 2022 #science #weather #climate #wintersafety #astronomy
Happy Holiday greetings and Happy New Year to one and all! I hope everyone is having a good holiday season. This is the beginning of a new year. Here’s to it being a better year for all of us. Across North America, drought persists across much of the lower 48 as the first substantial Arctic air mass makes its way into the Great Plains. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week with a review of wind chill. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.

- First, some good news. The James Webb space telescope is well underway, but there are several challenging weeks ahead before it becomes fully functional.
- Here’s another good news story. “Natural History Museum identifies more than 500 new species in 2021.“
- It’s well known that tsunamis can bring incredible devastation and death across vast areas. Here’s an interesting read on how we could get a better warning of their impending approach.
- Wildfires across several continents set many records in 2021 and climate change is clearly playing a big part.
- As our climate changes, so will the patterns we will see with hurricanes according to a new study.
- The latest US Drought Monitor shows little change from the previous week with much of the contiguous USA in a persistent drought.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
This infographic is an excellent overview of how to dress for the cold weather and wind chill. Frostbite and hypothermia can easily be prevented by dressing according to this chart and being keenly aware of air temperature and wind speeds.

Please keep in mind that ONLY NOAA weather radio, your local National Weather Service office, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! I hope the new year is happy and healthy one for you and your loved ones. A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday! Happy New Year!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2022 Tornado Quest, LLC
Tornado Quest Top Science Links For December 11 – 18, 2021 #science #weather #climate #winter #wintersafety #astronomy #tornado #tornadooutbreak #covid19

Greetings to one and all. This has been quite an active severe weather month for the USA with two Moderate Risk events in the middle of December. We’ll continue our look at winter weather safety this week. There are many other interesting stories to review, so let’s get started.
- This is a startling look at graphics that depict how vaccines for COVID-19 shaped 2021.
- This is quite an accomplishment. NASA sent a probe close to our sun and the results were spectacular.
- Meanwhile in the Antarctic. “Giant cracks push imperiled Antarctic glacier closer to collapse.” For decades, scientists have carefully tracked changes in the Thwaites Glacier which causes 4% of global sea-level rise.
- So much for that white Christmas that so many of us in the Northern Hemisphere would like to have. “The Twelve Days of Christmas Have Grown More Than 8 Degrees F Warmer in Parts of the U.S.“
- Taking a global perspective puts the ugly new ‘normal’ into a new light. Around our planet, many weather records were obliterated in a variety of climates on continents around our humble home.
- This is a concise and informative review from NOAA and the National Weather Service of the tornado outbreak of 10-11 December 2021. Several individual National Weather Service offices also have their own links to further information.
- Is there a connection between tornado events and climate change? Some preliminary data indicates there is. With the small data set of severe weather events scientists are limited to, it’s still to early to say definitely whether causation exists. With time and more scientific analysis, the answer will be found.
- It’s no secret that tornadoes that occur at night are often more deadly and, depending on the storm mode, may be in a high precipitation supercell moving at a very fast speed. It’s these ingredients, along with regional factors, that make tornadoes in the southeastern USA more deadly than their great plains counterparts.
WINTER WEATHER SAFETY
This infographic continues our winter weather safety focus on wind chill with a specific focus on how wind during winter cold affects our bodies.

Please keep in mind that ONLY NOAA weather radio, your local National Weather Service office, or reliable broadcast media are the BEST sources of important, timely, and potentially life-saving information on winter storm watches, warnings, and other related weather advisories! None of the links on this page should be used for life-&-death decisions or the protection of property!

That’s a wrap for this post! A big ‘Thank You’ to my followers in social media. If you’re on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, let’s connect! As for the COVID-19 pandemic, get vaccinated, sport a good fitting quality mask, practice good hand-washing hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay positive, and test negative!
See you next Saturday…Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Media inquiries: tornadoquest@protonmail.ch
Please note: queries regarding marketing, promotions, sales schemes, prizes, or papers/research that have not been under & approved by scientific peer review will not be accepted.
Copyright © 1998 – 2021 Tornado Quest, LLC