Canadian wildfires in 2023 were the worst on record, engulfing American cities like New York in smoke. (Credit: Jesse Winter/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Wildfires and increased temperatures continued to shatter records in 2023. Learn why global weirding does a better job of describing these events.

As Weather Extremes Increase in 2023, Global Weirding Becomes a Better Term

Red squirrel in the winter forest close-up.

What animals migrate in winter? Whether it is blending in, skipping town, or sitting this one out, animals do all sorts of things to weather the cold.

6 Different Tactics That Animals Use to Prepare for Winter

desert mirage mountains in the background

People often see water in the desert when actually there’s none there. But what is a mirage, and what causes these strange optical illusions?

Why Mirages Are Like Nature's Magic Trick and What Causes Them

Sea-surface temperature differences from normal in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The yellow, orange and red shaded areas indicate higher than normal temperatures — characteristic of El Niño. 

El Niño

The current El Niño now qualifies as a "strong" event, but it's also acting a tad weird. 

As El Niño Heats Up Even More, What Might We Expect? 

(Credit:Rodrigo Oropeza/AFP via Getty Images) 
Acapulco’s beachfront condo towers were devastated by Hurricane Otis.

Acapulco-post-hurricane-Otis

Acapulco’s beachfront condo towers were devastated by Hurricane Otis.

Acapulco Was Built To Withstand Earthquakes, But Not Hurricane Otis’ Destructive Winds – How Building Codes Failed This Resort City

Family of wild boar with young piglets on a meadow at sunset looking at the camera

For years, researchers didn’t know why Bavarian feral pigs contained serious levels of radioactive isotopes. Now, scientists finally understand the mystery of the “wild boar paradox.”

Why Are Wild Pigs in Germany So Radioactive?

Wind turbines on beautiful sunny summer autumn mountain landscape.

Get to know physicist and meteorologist Anna Mani, known as “The Weather Woman of India.”

 Who Was Anna Mani, and How Was She a Pioneer for Women in STEM?

Sea surface temperatures along the equator west of South America have been much warmer than average — a signature of El Niño. The odds are now favoring a strong El Niño episode. (Credit: earth.nullschool.net with annotations added)

El Niño Strengthens

Strong El Niños tip the odds toward certain extremes in the United States and many other parts of the world, but nothing is guaranteed.

With a Strong El Niño Now Very Likely, What Should We Expect?

Drawing of the Peshtigo Fire, showing people seeking refuge in the Peshtigo River. Drawing originally appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1871. (Credit: G. J. Tisdale/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain)

Drawing of the Peshtigo Fire, showing people seeking refuge in the Peshtigo River

In 1871, this Wisconsin lumbering town burned to the ground. Learn about the deadliet wildfire recorded in U.S. history.

What Was the Deadliest Wildfire in U.S. History?

When the body overheats, it slows the metabolism, pushes blood to the skin and ramps up sweating. (Credit: fizkes/shutterstock)

Overheated woman fanning herself on the couch 

Thanks to a network of detectors, the brain is able to tune the body as needed to either push the core body temperature up or down.

How the Body Avoids Cooking to Death in an Overheating World

Chart of Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Published 1851 (Credit:bauhaus1000/Getty Images)

1851 Chart of Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean 

From resilience to architecture, here is how early civilizations in the Caribbean prepared for hurricanes. 

Ancient Ingenuity: How Early Civilizations Prepared for Hurricanes 

Broad swaths of Earth's seas are running very hot right now, as seen in this map showing how sea surface temperatures on July 30, 2023 compared to the long-term average. (Credit: Climate Reanalyzer)

The Oceans Are Sizzling

The U.N. Secretary-General says the era of 'global boiling' has arrived. Is that over the top, or an effective metaphor? Climate scientists, communication experts, and others weigh in.

With Temperature and Other Climate Extremes Shattering Records, Should We Call it 'Global Boiling'? 'Weirding'? Or...?