They trap bubbles of air and particles that reveal levels of greenhouse gas emissions and temperature variation that help scientists plot how climatic conditions have altered over time.

They also need specific climatic conditions like humid temperatures and ample rainfall to grow.

It broadens the climatic impact of marine sulfur because it adds a new compound, methanethiol, that had previously gone unnoticed.

Understanding the chaotic behavior of crop systems helps to improve yield predictions and inform adaptive farming practices for managing seasonal and climatic variability.

A major warming spell, drier conditions, or both could explain that uptick, but there’s no evidence for a major climatic change at that time in the region, the researchers note.