How climate change threatens an iconic national park – and beyond

+ geologic activity on Venus; mix-and-match vaccines US Edition - Today's top story: Yellowstone is losing its snow as the climate warms, and that means widespread problems for water and wildlife – a new report details the changes [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 June 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair More and more, it seems the news and reports I read about climate change have a different tone than in years past. Instead of framed as the future we can expect, the focus is just as often on the present-day effects of climate change. A great example of that is today’s story that describes the changes occurring in the Yellowstone National Park region. A new climate assessment for the mountain region – a crucial water source for wildlife and several major rivers – shows that temperatures have risen by 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1950 in the area, and it has lost a quarter of its annual snowfall. The high country around Yellowstone could have no snow at all by the end of the century. “The loss of snow there has repercussions for a vast range of ecosystems and wildlife, as well as cities and farms downstream [that rely on rivers that start in these mountains](,” climate scientist Bryan Shuman writes from a research station overlooking Grand Teton. Another climate-related story this week also points to the very difficult challenges of adapting to a warming planet. Gary Griggs of the University of California Santa Cruz writes about the proposals to build seawalls to defend East Coast cities from storm surge and rising seas. The article poses many thorny questions to consider, but Griggs concludes that seawalls are at best a short-term strategy – [one that’s expensive and offers limited protections](. “Sea level rise is a complex problem with no easy or inexpensive solution, but the sooner the science is understood and accepted, and everyone who is affected has an opportunity to get involved, the sooner cities can make plans,” says Griggs. The possibility that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may have accidentally “leaked” from a research lab has rekindled the debate over so-called gain-of-function research. By experimenting with dangerous pathogens and changing their attributes, the thinking goes, researchers can get one step ahead of potentially dangerous germs. But what about the risks to society at large from a mistake? This week’s piece, written by experts in lab safety and science policy, explains the [rationale behind this type of research and why the current situation is prompting a “rethink” of current practices](. Here are some other highlights from the past week in science: - [The immense benefits of reflective pavement]( - [How medical invention suffers when women are sidelined]( - [What’s at the end of the universe?]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin La Monica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Snow melts near the Continental Divide in the Bridger Wilderness Area in Wyoming, part of the Greater Yellowstone Area. Bryan Shuman/University of Wyoming [Yellowstone is losing its snow as the climate warms, and that means widespread problems for water and wildlife – a new report details the changes]( Bryan Shuman, University of Wyoming The area's iconic national parks are home to grizzlies, elk and mountain snowfall that feeds some of the country's most important rivers. The region is warming quickly. Flooding caused by high tides in a Miami neighborhood on June 19, 2019. AP Photo/Ellis Rua [For flood-prone cities, seawalls raise as many questions as they answer]( Gary Griggs, University of California, Santa Cruz Many coastal US cities are contending with increasingly frequent and severe tidal flooding as sea levels rise. Some are considering building seawalls, but this strategy is not simple or cheap. In February 2021, a World Health Organization team investigating the origins of COVID-19 visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China. Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images [Why gain-of-function research matters]( David Gillum, Arizona State University; Rebecca Moritz, Colorado State University The research community is taking a closer look at the lab-leak hypothesis for the origin of COVID-19, prompting discussion about the risks and benefits of engineering viruses. Other good finds - [The surface of Venus is cracked and moves like ice floating on the ocean – likely due to tectonic activity]( Paul K. Byrne, North Carolina State University Researchers used decades-old radar data and found that some low-lying areas of Venus' crust are moving and jostling. This evidence is some of the strongest yet of tectonic activity on Venus. - [A mix-and-match approach to COVID-19 vaccines could provide logistical and immunological benefits]( Maureen Ferran, Rochester Institute of Technology Various companies use different ingredients and different delivery systems in their COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers are investigating whether it's better for individuals to mix what's available. - [Lighter pavement really does cool cities when it’s done right]( Hessam AzariJafari, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Randolph E. Kirchain, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Here’s how reflective pavement works and what cities need to think about. - [Transgender medicine – what care looks like, who seeks it out and what’s still unknown: 3 essential reads]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation Across the US, politicians, activists and transgender people are fighting over the right to access transgender medical care. Rarely is the care itself actually discussed. This is that discussion. - [Too few women get to invent – that’s a problem for women’s health]( Rem Koning, Harvard Business School Boosting the number of female inventors isn't just a matter of fairness. Inventions by men are more likely to ignore women's needs. - [Flawed data led to findings of a connection between time spent on devices and mental health problems – new research]( Craig J.R. Sewall, University of Pittsburgh You're probably wrong about how much time you spend on your devices, and that has big implications for the link between device use and mental health. - [Does outer space end – or go on forever?]( Jack Singal, University of Richmond Astronomers know a lot about what's in outer space – and think it's possible it never ends. --------------------------------------------------------------- COVID-19 Vaccines [A map of the world color coded according to how much of the population the country would be able to vaccinate with the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses they have.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451