The Future of Everything Best of: The future of extreme climate events
Oct 10, 2025
Noah Diffenbaugh, a Professor of Earth System Science at Stanford University, joins the discussion to tackle the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. He explains how global warming impacts ecosystems worldwide and connects large-scale climate science to localized human effects. Noah also dives into the concept of climate forcing, potential geoengineering solutions like stratospheric aerosol injection, and highlights why adaptation efforts are lagging. He emphasizes the role of AI in making testable climate predictions to better prepare for these challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Climate Impacts Are Global And Present
- Climate change is already impacting everywhere from coasts to mountains and across latitudes.
- Noah Diffenbaugh says measurable climate impacts on people and ecosystems have arrived now.
Studying Climate At The Human Interface
- Diffenbaugh studies the interface between physical climate processes and human/ecosystem vulnerability.
- He focuses on what matters most by linking climate drivers to regional impacts and responses.
What Climate Forcing Really Means
- Climate forcing denotes changes in the energy input/output of Earth's climate system from natural or human causes.
- Diffenbaugh explains that greenhouse gases alter Earth's energy balance and thus circulation and extreme events.