Two thirds or more of Madagascar’s areas with the highest potential for forest restoration are located where land tenure is unclear or contested, according to a mixed-method analysis of land tenure status data, stakeholder interviews and focus groups with local communities.

Flash droughts are projected to become more frequent under all global warming scenarios, with flash drought risk over croplands increasing particularly sharply over Europe and the US, according to analyses of climate model simulations.

The timing of precession and obliquity cycles determined the duration of each glacial/interglacial period during the Early Pleistocene, according to dynamic ice-sheet-climate simulations of the glacial cycles between 1.6 and 1.2 million years ago.

Multi-scale spatial machine learning of soil carbon stocks in Australia’s terrestrial and coastal marine ecosystems reveals eight bio-regions and their underlying subregional drivers that can help inform strategies for conservation and climate change mitigation.

Iron-manganese oxides with geochemical and mineralogical signatures indicative of low temperature hydrothermal activity are identified in dredged samples from the vicinity of a petit-spot volcano on old and cold oceanic crust east of the Japan Trench.

A tropical cyclone that made landfall at Shark Bay, Western Australia, in 1921 was likely category 4 or marginal category 5, much larger than previous estimates, according to a five-dimensional assessment of historical records coupled with numerical modelling

Environmental conditions contribute to maintaining the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems in the Tibetan plateau more than plant diversity, according to a data-model analysis based on ground field survey and remote sensing at 143 sites over 2019-2021.

Communication using visual arts combined with self-reflection led to less politically polarized perceptions of the relevance of climate change than communication using data graphs, in controlled experiments with 671 US-based adults.

A transient increase in local gravity field about 2 years prior to the 2013 Lushan earthquake which then decreased after the mainshock is likely related to fluid diffusion around the epicentre of the earthquake, according to terrestrial hybrid gravity observations.

Extractive activities in the deep sea are poised to advance faster than the science needed to evaluate risks. Here, we call for a strong precautionary approach in developing these industries.

During the February 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes, people looked for explanations. As scientists, we did our best to share our knowledge in a way that reached and connected with people beyond the scientific community.

A comprehensive aircraft survey of onshore oil and gas infrastructure in British Columbia finds that methane emissions may be 1.7 times higher than the official inventory and introduces a framework for compiling measurement-led regional greenhouse gas emissions data.

The human tragedy caused by the earthquake doublet on 6 February 2023 in Turkey and Syria is difficult to comprehend. While earthquake scientists are trying to understand this seismic event, its catastrophic impact highlights heightened risk in the entire region.

Whether diets will evolve through social interventions to move closer to sustainable agriculture is being investigated in a growing and promising area of research.

Careful management of deforested Amazonian land cannot replace, but must complement, efforts to preserve the rainforest. Sustainable agricultural practices that promote diverse uses can help minimise impacts on climate and environment.