The massive columns of smoke generated by a nuclear war would alter the world’s climate for years and devastate the ozone layer, endangering both human health and food supplies, new research shows.

International agreements to protect the ozone layer have been so successful that they will prevent an estimated 443 million cases of skin cancer and 63 million cataract cases for people born in the United States through the end of this century, according to new research.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a collaborator on a new $25 million initiative that will use artificial intelligence to improve traditional Earth system models with the goal of advancing climate research to better inform decision makers with more actionable information.

Climate change will significantly alter future patterns of flooding, with moderate storms having mixed impacts but extreme storms generating more devastating and frequent flooding.

More than one-quarter of the U.S. population suffered from exposure to extreme heat during the pandemic summer of 2020, surveys show.