Earthweek: a diary of the planet

For the week ending Friday, Feb. 23.

Harsher climate

A study concludes that extreme weather events will become much more likely and intense around the world even if the Paris climate agreement’s goal of keeping global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius is met. Researchers expanded on earlier studies of climate records, which demonstrated how carbon emissions have increased the probability of recording-breaking hot, wet and dry events, even in the present warmer climate. Another report cautions that even if the Paris agreement’s goals are met, sea level is still likely to rise at least 2 to 4 feet by 2300.

Sleep singing

Argentine researchers have found that zebra finches seem to be practicing their songs while they sleep without actually making a sound. It’s long been known that the birds’ brains spontaneously reproduce the same patterns in their sleep that they use when singing during the day. But scientists from the University of Buenos Aires have found that the finches’ vocal muscles are also moving during their avian slumber. Scientists think the sleep singing may be how the birds learn new songs or keep their existing tunes stable.

4.4 Day Zero respite

The day of reckoning for drought-parched Cape Town has been pushed back to at least July 9, at which time all water taps across the South African metropolitan area are slated be turned off because of critically low water reserves. Authorities had warned that Day Zero would arrive as early as March. But conservation efforts and leak repairs in recent weeks have given residents more time before they are likely to be forced to go to local distribution points for fresh water.

Sumatran eruption

A blast from northern Sumatra’s Mount Sinabung volcano sent ash and other debris falling over nearby settlements and crops. A red alert was issued for aviation after the ash plume soared nearly 24,000 feet into jet routes.

Primate peril

Roughly half of the orangutans living on Borneo have disappeared over the past 16 years because of hunting and vast destruction of their habit. Researchers say much of the loss of 100,000 of the island’s orangutans is from logging operations that clear the land to make way for palm plantations and mining. Field researcher Serge Wich says targeted killings and other direct conflicts between the orangutans and humans are pushing the primates beyond their well-known ability to adapt to a changing landscape.