Subscribe now

Environment

Ancient plankton suggests extreme El Niños will become twice as common

Plankton that lived during the last glacial maximum have helped confirm the accuracy of our climate models – suggesting the predictions those models make about future El Niño events are accurate too

By James Dinneen

30 September 2024

Foraminifera, shells, debris. Mediterranean sea.

Tiny foraminifera shells can help us understand the future of El Niño

Scenics & Science/Alamy

A reconstruction of Pacific Ocean temperatures 21,000 years ago, based on the chemistry of tiny shells, adds hefty support to projections that climate change will make strong El Niño events far more common, leading to more extreme weather around the world.

“We’re projecting a pretty dramatic change,” says Kaustubh Thirumalai at the University of Arizona.

The irregular cycle between warmer- and cooler-than-average temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean –…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Unlock this article

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 15 January 2025.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account