ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News

Researchers have revealed that a newly developed forecasting system can accurately predict flood locations 32 hours in advance. Extreme rainfall events are occurring increasingly frequently; such accurate and timely flood warnings will help to minimize their impact by providing time for measures to protect people and property.

Climate change will shape the future of coastal communities, with flood walls, elevated structures and possibly even floating cities used to combat sea level rise. New research has found that managed retreat -- moving buildings, homes or communities off of the coast or away from floodplains -- must be part of any solution.

Weddell seals, the southernmost born mammal, are known as champion divers. But they don't begin life that way. Researchers examined the development of diving behavior in Weddell seal pups and found that they time their dives with their mother but likely do not learn to forage at that time. Instead, they focus their early efforts on learning to swim and navigate under the sea ice.