Lauren Sommer

Lauren Sommer appears in the following:

How the current heat dome can affect human health

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Right now, there's a "heat dome" lingering over the southwestern U.S. – a high pressure system that pushes hot air down and traps it, raising the temperature. Heat is becoming increasingly lethal as climate change causes more extreme heat. So in today's encore episode, we're exploring heat. NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer talks with Short Wave host Regina G. Barber about how the human body copes with extended extreme heat and how today's heat warning systems could better protect the public. With scientists predicting a very hot summer, if you can, stay cool out there, dear Short Wavers.

What science story do you want to hear next on Short Wave? Email us at
shortwave@npr.org.

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What are sperm whales saying? Researchers find a complex 'alphabet'

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Whale families communicate a lot underwater. So now, researchers are using artificial intelligence to try to figure out what they're saying.

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Federal forecasters say El Nino is waning, after contributing to a record heat year

Thursday, May 09, 2024

Federal forecasters say the El Nino climate pattern is on its way out, after a year where it helped break global heat records. So what does that mean for this coming year?

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Climate change is hindering humpback whales' return from the brink of extinction

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Humpback whales have come back from the brink of extinction. But scientists are finding that their recovery is being impacted by climate change.

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At COP28, countries pledge hundreds of millions of dollars to help vulnerable nations

Thursday, November 30, 2023

International climate change negotiations began in Dubai with the announcement of a fund to help developing countries with the worst impacts of climate change. getting enough funding will be hard.

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Climate change affects your life in 3 big ways, a new report warns

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Climate change costs tens of billions of dollars each year, hurts Americans' health and disrupts everyday life, including how we work, eat, play and mourn, according to a major new assessment.

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Building in Arizona with no water

Thursday, November 09, 2023

Local leaders near Phoenix are placing limits on where new homes can be built, with the goal of protecting long-term access to water. But there's a significant loophole.

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3 cities face a climate dilemma: to build or not to build homes in risky places

Monday, November 06, 2023

Towns across the U.S. want to stop building homes that are vulnerable to climate-driven disasters, like wildfires, floods and droughts. It's easier said than done.

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California wants to limit the vegetation within 5 feet of a house to reduce fire risk

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Following years of devastating wildfires in California, the state is drafting stricter rules for vegetation and landscaping in fire-prone areas. Public pushback is expected to be intense.

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With wildfires growing, California writes new rules on where to plant shrubs

Friday, October 20, 2023

The plants and mulch within five feet of a home pose a major risk for spreading wildfire. California now has the tricky task of convincing homeowners to get rid of the greenery.

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Guterres tells world leaders to fight climate change by stop using fossil fuels

Thursday, September 21, 2023

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls on countries to step up their climate commitments. Meanwhile, the U.K. plans to backtrack.

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The world is still falling short on limiting climate change, according to U.N. report

Saturday, September 09, 2023

The outlook for climate change is better now than a few years ago, but countries have a long way to go to avoid dangerous climate impacts, according to a new report.

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Scientists hope to preserve coral by deep freezing it as climate change heats oceans

Friday, September 01, 2023

Hotter oceans are threatening coral around the world this summer. A new project is seeking to preserve coral by deep-freezing them, in the hope that one day they can help restore reefs.

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Another struggle after the Maui fires: keeping toxic runoff out of the ocean

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

There's little that separates the ocean from the 2,200 burned buildings in Lahaina. Officials are working to block runoff that could harm the coral reefs offshore.

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Many worry ash and rubble from Lahaina could wash into the ocean

Friday, August 25, 2023

The coast guard and local officials have put up barriers to help avoid runoff from rain. Even though Lahaina is a dry place, what are the continuing threats to ocean health from the burn zone?

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Biden proposes vast new marine sanctuary in partnership with California tribe

Thursday, August 24, 2023

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would make history as the first marine sanctuary to be managed with a tribe from the outset.

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Lessons Maui can take from other states to protect against future wildfire disasters

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

As Maui begins to pick up the pieces after deadly fires, the question is what can be done to prevent similar disasters. Other Westerns states have adopted measures to protect communities.

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3 strategies Maui can adopt from other states to help prevent dangerous wildfires

Friday, August 18, 2023

In preparing for future fires, Maui doesn't have to look far. States like California have passed wildfire policies to reduce the risk that a community will be destroyed.

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How a grassroots network helped reunite a family separated in the Maui fires

Thursday, August 17, 2023

The toll of the Maui wildfires is still growing, but amid the destruction, there have been moments of lightness. One separated family reunited thanks to the grassroots supply network that's sprung up.

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Maui has a safety plan for wildfires, but has struggled to fund it

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Maui has long known the dangers of wildfires. The island has a plan to help make communities safer. But like so many other places at risk, they've struggled to get the funding to implement it.

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