Earthweek: a diary of the planet

For the week ending Friday, Feb. 16.

Rising tides

The rate at which sea level is rising around the world has increased in recent years, according to a study of satellite observations over the past quarter-century. Scientists writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say sea level could become 26 inches higher by the end of the century. The rate then would have increased from the current 0.1 inch per year to about 0.4 inches annually. “This acceleration, driven mainly by accelerated melting in Greenland and Antarctica, has the potential to double the total sea level rise by 2100 as compared to projections that assume a constant rate,” study author Steve Nerem said.

La Niña fading

The La Niña ocean cooling across the tropical Pacific is expected to disappear during the next few months. The phenomenon is typically less disruptive to weather patterns than its warming counterpart, El Niño. But the past two months have seen much of North America, Europe and Asia plunged into the coldest polar vortex chills in years.

Ant triage

A species of sub-Saharan ant has been observed administering medical care to wounded comrades after battle by intently licking the injury. Matabele ants are among the largest on Earth and were already known to carry those wounded in battle back to the nest for treatment, where most lived to fight again. A researcher found that the soldier ants actually conduct a type of triage on the battlefield. The researcher said it is the wounded ant that decides whether it lives or dies by simply not cooperating with the helpers if it feels too injured to recover.

Yellow fever panic

Residents around of Rio de Janeiro have slaughtered scores of wild monkeys in fear that the primates could be spreading yellow fever. The disease has caused 25 human deaths this year in Rio state alone and killed untold numbers of monkeys in the forests across southern Brazil in 2017. Health officials are alerting residents that the disease is spread by mosquitoes, not monkeys. They add that infected monkeys often provide the first indication of where the disease has spread, so killing them doesn’t fight the outbreak.

Balinese calming

Geologists assured residents of Bali that the Indonesian resort island’s Mount Agung volcano is calming down and not likely to produce a violent eruption soon. Thousands of people living for months in evacuation shelters can return home. Tourists are coming back.