Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Filtered by: Earth & Environment
Seeing the hidden architecture of environmental interfaces by bioCP-SEM
How can we observe roots, microbes and soil particles together without disrupting their spatial relationships? This post shares the story behind bioCP-SEM, a workflow that combines biological electron microscopy with cross-sectional polishing to visualize intact plant–microbe–soil interfaces.
Increasing successive sudden stratospheric warmings linked to Arctic sea ice decline
Winter Arctic stratosphere is usually dominated by a strong polar vortex that helps to isolate cold air over the polar region. Sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) represent a dramatic breakdown of this vortex. New evidence shows increasing successive SSWs are linked to the declined sea ice trend.
Beyond the "Plunger": How the Stratospheric Polar Vortex Uses a "Cloud Blanket" to Warm the Arctic
Xia Yan, Xie Fei*, Luo Fuhai, Hu Yongyun, Huang Yi, Bian Jianchun, Zhou Lingyu, Zhao Chuanfeng*. Stratospheric polar vortex shapes Arctic surface climate via a radiative pathway. Nature Communications (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72698-w
