Ripples

As predicted, the effects of global heating continue to ripple through many elements of human life, from weather to medicine to infrastructure.

The latest tree ring study suggests that global heating has been aggravating the El Nino phenomenon that drives major weather trends.  El Nino was more active in the 20th century than in the preceding 700 years.

Meanwhile, the rising temperatures in the West are taking their toll on already shaky infrastructure.

And another example of the intricate yet vital relationships of nature and its role as our basic infrastructure, there's the coral reefs.  There are lots of reasons why coral has been endangered for years, but now the absolute killer is global heating.  A very definite study yields the conclusion stated in this headline: If Carbon Emissions Aren’t Reduced Now, Coral Reefs Will Die.

So what?  There are lots of reasons coral is important to human life and civilization.  But here's an example of what we may be losing without even realizing it:  genes that defend us from disease originated in coral.  Immune system research is starting to show this, with the possibility of learning how coral can add to our resistance.