Rebecca Dzombak

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Rebecca Dzombak

Every spring for the last 31 years, Reed Lewis has traversed Idaho to do what technology still cannot: examine rocks, collect samples and make a map that is critical for mining, oil and gas and other industries. He knows getting an early start is essential, as summer smoke and winter snows limit the days that are useful for gathering data. Dr. Lewis, a geologist for the state of Idaho, is normally in the field by June at the latest. But halfway through the month, he’s stuck at his desk.

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Rebecca Dzombak

Higher temperatures caused by climate change are driving complex processes that make droughts bigger and more severe, new research shows. Look down from a plane at farms in the Great Plains and the West and you'll see green circles dotting the countryside, a kind of agricultural pointillism. They're from center-pivot sprinklers.

4 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Rebecca Dzombak

From bee science to understanding the impact of a warming world on plant life, here's what the Ecosystems Mission Area does. The Trump administration's proposed budget for 2026 slashes about 90 percent of the funding for one of the country's cornerstone biological and ecological research programs.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Rebecca Dzombak

Glacial ice will melt for centuries even if global temperatures stop rising now, according to new research. There's news about glaciers, and it's grim. Regardless of climate mitigation strategies, the world's glaciers are on track to shrink significantly over hundreds of years, according to new study published on Thursday. They're locked in to losing ice.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Rebecca Dzombak

A Microsoft model can make accurate 10-day forecasts quickly, an analysis found. And, it's designed to predict more than weather. Weather forecasters rely on models to help them make decisions that can have life-or-death consequences, so any advantage is welcome. Artificial intelligence holds promise to deliver more accurate forecasts quickly, and tech companies including Google, Nvidia and Huawei have produced A.I.-based forecasting models.