Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps: Study
Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps (Picture credit: AFP)
GENEVA: Short,
intense summer rainfall
in Alpine regions is likely to become more frequent and severe in the future because of
global warming
, according to a study released Thursday by the
University of Lausanne
(UNIL).
Researchers said that in a scenario where temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the Alps and nearby regions could experience episodes of intense summer rainfall twice as often as currently.
"With such warming, an intense storm currently expected once every 50 years could occur once every 25 years in the future," said the Swiss university, which conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Padua in Italy.
"Hot air holds more moisture (around seven per cent more per degree), intensifying storm activity", the researchers said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Free P2,000 GCash eGift
UnionBank Credit Card
Apply Now
Undo
"As the Alpine environment warms faster than the global average, it is particularly affected," they added.
The study used summer rainfall data collected from nearly 300 meteorological stations across the European Alps in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy.
They focused on record-breaking rainfall events, lasting from 10 minutes to an hour, that occurred between 1991 and 2020, as well as the temperatures associated with these episodes.
"The sudden and massive arrival of large volumes of water can exceed the soil's absorption capacity," which can "trigger
flash floods
and debris flows, causing damage to infrastructure", said Nadav Peleg, a researcher at UNIL and the study's lead author.
Researchers recommend "preparing
urban water management
systems and other infrastructures" that are ill-suited to handle significant rainfall volumes.
"Promptly updating engineering and urban planning standards" would help mitigate potential risks associated with these events, they added, while also emphasising the need to "limit global warming to 1.5°C or less above current levels".
According to scientists from the United Nations' IPCC panel on
climate change
, there is a 50 per cent chance of global temperatures rising by an average of 1.5°C by 2030-2035.
"We are already observing a trend towards intensified summer storms and this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years," said Francesco Marra, a researcher at the University of Padova and a co-author of the study.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk's 'three-word' reply on SpaceX test rocket explosion
(Source:X) (Source:X) 1 2 A SpaceX Starship upper stage exploded during a routine engine test at the company's Starbase facility in South Texas earlier this week, resulting in the complete loss of the spacecraft and damage to the surrounding test stand area, SpaceX confirmed. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. local time on June 19, just before the planned 10th flight test of the 403-foot Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket. Designed to be fully reusable, Starship is a critical part of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk 's vision to colonize Mars. The vehicle comprises a Super Heavy booster and a 171-foot upper-stage spacecraft, intended to succeed SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets for diverse space missions. In a statement posted on Twitter, SpaceX described the explosion as a 'major anomaly' during preparations at Starbase. The company emphasized that a safety perimeter was maintained, and no injuries were reported. 'All personnel are safe and accounted for,' SpaceX said, adding that its team is working with local authorities to secure the site and assess environmental and safety impacts. The company confirmed that materials inside Starship pose no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks, and there are no hazards to nearby Rio Grande Valley communities. Responding to a post on the explosion, Elon Musk wrote: 'Room for improvement' This setback follows a May 2025 incident where a Starship prototype broke apart after losing altitude control due to engine failures during ascent, scattering debris over the Atlantic Ocean and causing temporary flight disruptions in Florida, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cost of Stair Lifts in 2025 Leaf Home Safety Solutions Get Rates Undo SpaceX's challenges coincide with delays in other missions. On Friday, the International Space Station announced that the Axiom-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, was postponed again. Originally set for June 19, the launch was rescheduled to June 22 due to issues with a Falcon 9 spacecraft but has now been delayed further, with NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX evaluating new launch dates. SpaceX is coordinating with federal, state, and local agencies to address the Starship incident's aftermath while continuing its ambitious push toward interplanetary travel. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Iran destroys Israel's $50 million science treasure, Weizmann Institute, marking one of the war's most costly strikes
The Iran-Israel standoff is steadily worsening over time and is reaching a point of no return. Israel's famous Weizmann Institute of Science has been badly damaged by Iran's missile attack. Shortly after Iran issued a terrifying warning to Israel and its allies, the incident happened. Two buildings and thousands of hours of research, samples, and studies at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot were destroyed in the strike that took place two days ago, as per a report by the Daily Express. What kind of research was lost in the strike? The institute, known for its cutting-edge research in the life sciences, lost over 45 labs and decades of irreplaceable research. This was one of the war's biggest losses in terms of culture and science. Scientists from all over the world have since come together to help the broken school. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo The attack destroyed labs that were studying neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer, and adult heart disease. A life science building is on the list of destroyed buildings. The $50 million "crown jewel" of Israeli science is destroyed in a devastating blow by an Iranian ballistic missile, as per a report by The Daily Express. "It's completely gone," said Professor Oren Schuldiner, whose lab was destroyed. 'Not a trace. Nothing can be saved.' Live Events ALSO READ: Iran news: Israel faces massive air defense crunch as Arrow interceptors run low and US stockpiles dwindle After 16 years of dedication to his lab, Schuldiner has completely lost everything. "This was the life's work of many people," he told The Times of Israel, highlighting how the attack destroyed decades of study. Why is the Weizmann Institute so important? The Weizmann Institute is a world-renowned research center that was founded in 1934 and subsequently named after Israel's first president. It boasts three Turing Award winners, one chemistry Nobel laureate, and hundreds of papers published each year by its scholars. Notably, in 1954, the institute invented the first computer in Israel. The lab successfully restored heart tissue in mice in 2015, and in 2018, they released research that could eventually result in new treatments for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. The building is now in ruins, with labs destroyed and windows broken. According to Sarel Fleishman, a biochemistry professor who visited the location following the strike, many of these labs concentrate on life sciences, with projects that are especially susceptible to physical harm. Many of the labs' studies in fields like cancer, developmental biology, and tissue generation were now stopped or significantly hampered by the damage. The lab that studied heart biology was among the approximately forty-five labs that were destroyed. A professor's lab, which contained 22 years of research and priceless scientific specimens like genetic material and heart tissues, is now in ruins. "It's very significant damage to the science that they can create and to the contribution they can make to the world." The institute is a symbol of "Israeli scientific progress" and Iran's attack reflects its mentality, which is that "you harm our scientists, so we are also harming (your) scientific cadre," a professor stated, as per a report. FAQs What was destroyed at the Weizmann Institute? Two major buildings and more than 45 labs, including one dedicated to heart disease and another to neurodevelopmental disorders, were destroyed, along with years of critical research and samples. Why did Iran target Weizmann Institute? While the institute represents Israeli scientific progress, analysts believe Iran targeted it in retaliation for previous Israeli actions against Iranian scientists, viewing it as both a symbolic and strategic blow.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
IIT Delhi researchers develop compact, energy efficient computing device using 2D materials tech
New Delhi: A team of researchers at IIT Delhi developed a compact, energy-efficient computing device using 2D materials technology. 2D materials technology involves the use of materials that are just one or a few atoms thick, offering unique electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Unlike conventional computers that rely on traditional semiconductor materials and bulky designs, often resulting in high power consumption, this innovation promises to make future computers significantly smaller, faster, and more power-efficient. The team, which includes Dr Manoj Kumar and Kritika Bhattacharya and is led by Dr Samaresh Das, head of centre for applied research in electronics at IIT Delhi, named the device MOD-PC (Multifunctional Optoelectronic Device for Processing Circuits). Optoelectronic signal processing means handling signals that involve both light (optical) and electricity (electronic). In regular computers, most signals are processed electronically (using electrical currents). However, optoelectronic devices can process signals using both light and electricity. This allows for much faster data transmission, lower energy loss, and the ability to handle huge amounts of data quickly. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eat 1 Teaspoon Every Night, See What Happens A Week Later [Video] getfittoday Undo The new computing cell, called MOD-PC, is built using light-sensitive tungsten diselenide (WSe2), a 2D material that holds great promise for creating next-generation, deeply scaled computing chips. Kumar, the lead author of the study, explained that the computing unit draws inspiration from the visual cortex of the human brain. This allows it to learn from optical light signals, mimic synaptic plasticity, and store data for long-term use. The device can also perform digital, analogue, and mixed-signal operations within a single unit, helping to overcome the traditional memory and power limitations faced by conventional computing systems, he added. Bhattacharya, a senior research fellow at IIT Delhi, led the fabrication and implementation of the MOD-PC chips. She shared that producing semiconductor chips from WSe2, which measure only a few nanometres in thickness and size, was challenging. However, with persistent efforts and advanced fabrication techniques, the team successfully achieved this breakthrough. Speaking about its real-world impact, Das, principal investigator of the project, said that the development of the MOD-PC device could transform neuro-vision computing hardware, with significant applications in artificial intelligence and neuro-robotics.
