The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
Three failed rainy seasons have resulted in Ethiopia's worst drought in 50 years. The number of food insecure people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance has rapidly increased; from 2.9 million at the beginning of 2015 to over 10 million in March 2016. Over…
After four years of extreme drought, the largest water reservoir in California – Shasta Lake – has recovered and now holds 109% of its long-term average supply for this time of year. Shasta Lake has stood as a potent symbol of the water shortage during those four…
Jono Matla, a photographer from Wellington, New Zealand, captured a bright green meteor flashing across the night sky around 21:00 local time on April 5, 2016. The event started as a ball of orange and turned into a neon green as it streaked the sky over Waikanae,…
A new study found that Miami Beach flood events have significantly increased over the last decade due to an acceleration of sea-level rise in South Florida. The study, made by researchers from the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric…
Just days after a truck got pulled into a huge crack on a road north of Bangkok, Thailand another large collapse occurred on the same road today. The crack stretches almost 120 meters (400 feet) and is 4 meters (13 feet) deep. Officials said severe drought caused…
Palau officials have warned today the country could completely dry up this month. The Pacific country, with about 18 000 people, declared the state of emergency last month due to one of the worst droughts in its history and is now asking for urgent aid. President…
Beginning April 1, 2016, all Earth imagery from a prolific Japanese remote sensing instrument – ASTER – operating aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft since late 1999 is now available to users everywhere at no cost. The public will have unlimited access to the…
Two Columbia University astronomers, Professor David Kipping and graduate student Alex Teachey, suggest humanity could use lasers to conceal the Earth from searches by advanced extraterrestrial civilisations. Several prominent scientists, including Stephen Hawking,…
The Earth's magnetic field permanently protects us from the charged particles and radiation that originate in the Sun. This shield is produced by the geodynamo, the rapid motion of huge quantities of liquid iron alloy in the Earth's outer core. To maintain…
Pakistan was hit by floods and numerous landslides after heavy rains drenched the country in March. The video below shows one highly destructive landslide event crashing through a series of houses. "The debris flowing down the lower slope triggered another…
