A Vital Ocean Current Could Be Vulnerable To Climate Change – What You Need To Know
An abrupt shutdown of Atlantic Ocean currents that could put large parts of Europe in a deep freeze is looking a bit more likely and closer than before as a new complex computer simulation finds a “cliff-like” tipping point looming in the future. A long-worried nightmare scenario, triggered by Greenland’s ice sheet melting from global warming, still is at least decades away if not longer, but maybe not the centuries that it once seemed, a new study in Friday’s Science Advances finds. The study, the first to use complex simulations and include multiple factors, uses a key measurement to track the strength of vital overall ocean circulation, which is slowing. A collapse of the current — called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC — would change weather worldwide because it means a shutdown of one of key climate and ocean forces of the planet. It would plunge northwestern European temperatures by 9 to 27 degrees (5 to 15 degrees Celsius) over the decades, extend Arctic ice much farther south, turn up the heat even more in the Southern Hemisphere, change global rainfall patterns and disrupt the Amazon, the study said. Other scientists said it would be a catastrophe that could cause worldwide food and water shortages. Joining us to discuss is LA Times environment reporter Hayley Smith and Josh Willis, climate scientist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
With files from the Associated Press.
A Check In With Local Registrars Ahead of Next Week’s Election
For this presidential primary election, voters will also narrow the field for congressional, state Assembly and state Senate seats. There is also a statewide ballot measure to vote on. Are you prepared to cast your ballot? Here to help are registrars from 3 Southern California counties. We’re joined by Registrar of Voters for Los Angeles County Dean Logan, Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page and Stephanie Shea, Registrar of Voters for San Bernardino County.
SoCal History: The Story Of The Academy Awards
The Academy Awards never fail to bring spectacle and criticism to the world of film each year. Yet, despite its prestige and near-fanatic attention, the organization behind the awards has never produced a thorough account of its origins and early development. In his new book “The Academy and the Award: The Coming of Age of Oscar and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences” (Brandeis University Press, 2022), Bruce Davis details the Academy’s birth and maturation to become the Hollywood staple we know today. Larry Mantle speaks with Davis, who served as director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 20 years and as a staff member for 30, to discuss Davis’ book as a critical piece of filmmaking history.
Post-Atmospheric Rivers, Where Does California’s Snowpack Stand?
The snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is a crucial component of California’s water supply, functioning as storage for the drier months along with the state’s reservoirs. Earlier this year, things were not looking good, with snow clocking in at just 28% of normal levels. But after the recent storms that have hit California in recent weeks, snowpack levels are currently at 86% of normal, according to the state. Still, much depends on the coming months. Joining us to discuss is Michael Anderson, state climatologist with the Department of Water Resources.
California’s Endangered Monarch Butterfly Population Sharply Declines
The population of Western Monarch butterflies had reached millions in the 1980’s. But over the past few years, the population has decreased significantly. This past winter, scientists and volunteers visited more than 250 overwintering sites throughout California and counted around 233,000 butterflies, a 30 percent drop from the previous winter, according to a report released by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Joining us to discuss is Isis Howard, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Foundation.
Ahead Of The March Primary Next Week, What Votes Are You Still Considering?
Voting in primary elections can be overwhelming -- there are a lot of races, some for offices we don’t think about very often, and big fields of candidates to consider. And while LAist’s Voter Game Plan for Los Angeles and Orange Counties are excellent resources for helping you to better understand all of these different races and the people running for office where you live, it can’t tell you who to vote for -- that is, of course, something you have to decide on your own! With a little more than a week to go before the 2024 primary election in California, no doubt many voters have already mailed in or dropped off their ballots. But if you’re still working on yours, or maybe you’re planning to go to a polling center and vote in person on Election Day, what races or votes are you still wrestling with? What’s giving you pause about casting your vote? Whether you’re torn between two candidates, don’t feel like you have a full understanding of the issues at play or something entirely different still has you mulling it over, we want to hear from you. Tell us which votes and races you’re still considering by calling us at 866-893-5722 or by emailing atcomments@laist.com.
Pour Me A Glass Of Scamernet Fraudignon – New Book Details Wine Fraud Through The Ages
As long as there has been wine, there have been people lying about what exactly is in the bottle for profit or status. In “Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud,” author Rebecca Gibb takes the reader on a journey from antiquity to contemporary California, detailing the shady side of the wine business through the ages. Along the way, she asks crucial questions like: what does it mean for a wine to be “authentic”? The line is blurrier than you’d think, and has shifted depending on the tastes of drinkers, the scruples of winemakers, and regulations that dictate what can be grown where, and what can go into the bottle. Today on AirTalk, Larry talks to wine journalist and Master of Wine Rebecca Gibb about her book.
