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The Aurora Borealis, also commonly known as the Northern Lights, are an atmospheric phenomenon caused by the interaction of charged particles emitted from the sun that interact with various gasses in Earth’s atmosphere, creating beautiful and mesmerizing displays. Typically, these aurora are confined to regions close to the poles, due to the charged particle’s interaction with Earth’s magnetic field, but a new study says that the display may push farther south in the near future.
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Plankton is spreading in the North Atlantic much faster than global warming models have predicted. This appears to be due to a much faster than expected "loading" of carbon dioxide into ocean waters from the CO2-laden atmosphere. Normally, carbon dioxide is absorbed into the oceans, which has been reducing the amount in the atmosphere.

When this loading stops, the amount in the atmosphere could rise quickly, but it’s not yet clear whether the plankton growth is good or bad for the planet. Published Thursday in the journal Science, a new study details a tenfold increase in the abundance of a type of floating phytoplankton between 1965 and 2010, and a particularly sharp spike since the late 1990s.
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An investigation has been launched by the New York Attorney General against oil and gas corporation Exxon-Mobil, into allegations that the company lied to the public about the effects of fossil fuels on the Earth’s climate, and to investors, regarding how said change might affect their business. Exxon-Mobil was subpoenaed earlier this month to hand over documents relevant to the case, including emails and financial records.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released their temperature data for the Pacific Ocean, confirming that the current El Niño is the hottest ever recorded. Unfortunately, this also may guarantee that the current cycle will result in a prolonged La Niña event in the later half of 2016.

The previous record-holding El Niño period was the week of November 26, 1997, where surface temperatures were recorded at 2.8°C. The new record, for the week ending November 09, 2015, hit an even 3.0°C above normal – over seven percent higher than the previous record. This will result in more severe weather patterns in the US southwest, and possible drought conditions in Australia and Indonesia.
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