Man: Grove. A Swamp Thing Creeps North

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Uniquely adapted to low-oxygen, high-saline environments, mangroves have historically populated, and protected, exclusively equatorial and sub-tropical shorelines.

But with sea levels beginning to submerge coastal communities and crops around the globe, drastic action is needed to protect as much coastline as possible – including in the temperate zone.

Happily, mangroves are already marching northwards, and that march is being encouraged by global warming, which is opening up new areas where mangroves can thrive. Unhappily, they are also under threat from human activities.

Playing the Index Card: Heat is the New Cold

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Those in what has long been called the ‘temperate zone’ are well-schooled on the impact of wind chill, which measures how cold it feels when cold temperatures and wind are factored together. This February’s historically cold blast brought with it wind chills that broke records across the Northeast and threatened the life of anyone who ventured out without proper gear.

But while wind chill is known to most, few are as aware of the Heat Index, a measure not just of hot temperature but of how hot those temperatures feel when humidity and other conditions are factored in. The Heat Index acts as a predictor of physical impacts every bit as deadly as wind chill.
 
As the planet warms, and heat waves increase in frequency, duration, and intensity, the Heat Index is about to become standard protective equipment for those venturing outdoors.