Hemisphere | Common News Update

Aug222020 by adminNo Comments

Ozone levels across Northern Hemisphere have been rising for 20 years

Science

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- While emission levels for ozone-forming chemicals have fallen in some North American cities, new research suggests tropospheric ozone levels have increased across the Northern Hemisphere over the last 20 years. In the upper layers of the atmosphere, the ozone layer helps protect Earth and its inhabitants from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Advertisement But closer to Earth's surface, ozone causes problems. In addition to accelerating climate change, the greenhouse gas can harm people's lungs and damage plants. "Ozone is a secondary gas, which means that it is not directly emitted," lead researcher Audrey Gaudel, a scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado, told UPI in an email. "It is formed photochemica...

Aug32020 by adminNo Comments

Western Hemisphere holds 3 spots for COVID-19 deaths; cases pass 18 million

World

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- The coronavirus pandemic, which began in Asia last December and first spread to Europe, is now primarily ravaging Western Hemisphere nations with the United States, Brazil and Mexico in the top 3 for most deaths. Mexico moved past Britain for the third spot late Friday and now has 47,736, behind No. 1 U.S. with 158,375 and No. 2 Brazil with 94,130. In addition, Peru is in ninth place with 19,614, Colombia 12th with 10,650 and Chile 14th with 9,608. Advertisement The pandemic passed 18.2 million cases Sunday and was closing in on 700,000 fatalities with 690,436. India has the fifth-most deaths with 38,161 behind Britain's 46,201. More than half of the worldwide deaths are concentrated in the Western Hemisphere, 368,000, and nearly 11 million cases. Only 1 billion of the wor...

Nov92018 by adminNo Comments

South Asian Monsoon affects more people in Southern Hemisphere than once thought

Science

Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Warming in the southern hemisphere of Asia has a stronger affect on monsoon strength than scientists previously thought, a discovery that could have a devastating affect billions of people, according to a new study. A team of researchers from Georgia State University, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Brown University rebuilt the eastern Indian Ocean's precipitation history by examining ancient sediment core from the eastern Indian Ocean. Each year, between June and September, the South Asian Monsoon dumps heavy rainfall on the region. A half year of drought and a negative economic, social and environmental impact for India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka follow the downpour. The monsoon'...

May142018 by adminNo Comments

78-foot wave off New Zealand largest ever in Southern Hemisphere

Science

May 11 (UPI) -- Scientists believe a 78-foot wave that formed off the coast of New Zealand this week is the largest wave ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. A storm close to the Southern Ocean's Campbell Island, a low-pressure system and 65-knot winds helped create prime conditions for the wave to form. "To our knowledge, it is the largest wave ever recorded in the southern hemisphere," said Tom Durrant, senior oceanographer at New Zealand's MetService, adding the Southern Ocean is the "most energetic part" of the world's oceans for producing waves. A buoy recorded the 80-foot wave, but Durrant said the storm likely created bigger waves in other locations. The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the world's ocean, the water surrounding Antarctica. Storms generated t...