The first nuclear weapon used in warfare
Scientists have linked a dust cloud from an asteroid impact to extreme climate effects that contributed to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. New simulations show fine post-impact dust amplified atmospheric heating and wildfire risk, reshaping how we understand the extinction trigger and the environmental aftermath.
A series of historical accounts recount the first use of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, underscoring lasting global fears, arms races, and the human cost reflected in witness testimonies and later reflections.
Survivors and officials mark the Nagasaki and Hiroshima anniversaries while Japan debates its nuclear policy. Leaders reaffirm non-nuclear principles while signals of policy shifts surface amid regional tension and calls for a clear stance.
A Systemiq-led study has found Himalayan glaciers are losing mass 65% faster than a decade ago and that just 21 of an estimated 40,000 glaciers are being monitored on the ground. The research has linked accelerated melt, expanding unstable glacial lakes and thawing permafrost to rising risks of floods, landslides and a mid-century peak-water decline that will affect agriculture, hydropower and millions downstream.