Across our Parched Earth series, we've been reporting on every aspect of the megadrought in south-western North America. Here are all 10 parts of the project
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Extreme droughts of this kind are not new — they have occurred on every continent outside Antarctica for the past 2000 years. But only recently have we started to pin down the complex global climate patterns that cause them.series, we have taken a hard look at this unique moment for North America. We have examined what causes megadroughts, when the current one will end and what permanent scars the land will bear thereafter.
Our ever-growing appetite for data may exacerbate droughts, as data centres use a tremendous amount of water for cooling. And, this may become more pronounced in the years ahead – many data centres are under construction in some of the most drought-stricken areas of the US.The changes underway on our planet are severe, and they become all the more striking when we zoom out to get a glimpse from space. From that vantage, the effect on the landscape is truly breathtaking.
The aftermath of extreme historic droughts may give us some insight into what the future holds – and it is a sobering view. Even if the rains return, the land will may be forever altered. As climate scientist Samantha Stephens told New Scientist, “By today’s standards, we’ll be in a drought all the time.”When water runs short, how do you get people to use their fair share?
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