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Hazards, Disasters, and Extreme Events

Natural hazards and extreme events challenge communities and infrastructure. The National Academies research preparedness, risk reduction, and recovery strategies to build resilience. 

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Paleoenvironmental Data 101: Using Earth’s Past to Prepare for the Future

Announcement

While data collected by modern instruments can provide information on decades of Earth’s extreme events, paleoenvironmental data found in natural archives such as ice cores and tree rings can extend that record by hundreds, thousands, or millions of years into the past. Drawing on a new National Academies report, this interactive webpage offers an introduction to different paleoenvironmental archives and how they are being used to develop a deeper understanding of disasters in the past and plan for a more resilient future.

May 4, 2026
Rock core samples at the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland.

Used on the cover of: A Synthesis Center for Paleoenvironmental Records of Extreme Events

El cambio climático provocado por los seres hombres está haciendo que el nivel del mar aumente

Based on Science

VERDADERA. El nivel del mar promedio en todo el mundo está aumentando debido al derretimiento del hielo terrestre y la expansión del agua de mar cada vez más caliente, ambos causados ​​por el calentamiento global.

Mar 11, 2026
Based on Science Banner

National Academies Publish New Report Reviewing Evidence for Greenhouse Gas Emissions and U.S. Climate, Health, and Welfare

News Release

A new National Academies report reviews evidence gathered by the scientific community since 2009 on greenhouse gas emissions and their effects on U.S. climate, health, and welfare.

Sep 17, 2025
Wildfire in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, January 8, 2025, towards Getty Center and Brentwood. Images showcase dense smoke clouds, burning hillsides, and urban areas at risk. 2pm - 3pm.
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