Berly McCoy

Especially considering Tornado Alley is very similar to a section of South America, at least geographically.

Today on the show, new research on why the U.S. gets so many more tornadoes and what the findings might mean for reducing them in the future. You're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Today on the show, new research on why the U.S. gets so many more tornadoes and what the findings might mean for reducing them in the future. You're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Today on the show, new research on why the U.S. gets so many more tornadoes and what the findings might mean for reducing them in the future. You're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Okay, Sushmita, let's talk about the research you reported on. It was done by a scientist named Funing Lee when he was at MIT. And Funing and his colleagues studied tornado occurrence by using this historical data to model and simulate the interaction between land and the atmosphere. Tell me about what they found.

Okay, Sushmita, let's talk about the research you reported on. It was done by a scientist named Funing Lee when he was at MIT. And Funing and his colleagues studied tornado occurrence by using this historical data to model and simulate the interaction between land and the atmosphere. Tell me about what they found.

Okay, Sushmita, let's talk about the research you reported on. It was done by a scientist named Funing Lee when he was at MIT. And Funing and his colleagues studied tornado occurrence by using this historical data to model and simulate the interaction between land and the atmosphere. Tell me about what they found.

Wow. So it really is like this big picture geographical reason for why there's a different amount of tornadoes in North and South America. Yeah. And so it's really just like if you have flat or you have not flat. That's the big factor. Yeah. And way upstream. Yeah. And upstream being different for North and South America?

Wow. So it really is like this big picture geographical reason for why there's a different amount of tornadoes in North and South America. Yeah. And so it's really just like if you have flat or you have not flat. That's the big factor. Yeah. And way upstream. Yeah. And upstream being different for North and South America?

Wow. So it really is like this big picture geographical reason for why there's a different amount of tornadoes in North and South America. Yeah. And so it's really just like if you have flat or you have not flat. That's the big factor. Yeah. And way upstream. Yeah. And upstream being different for North and South America?

Okay, so is this like coming from the south in the northern hemisphere and coming from the north in this? Yes.

Okay, so is this like coming from the south in the northern hemisphere and coming from the north in this? Yes.

Okay, so is this like coming from the south in the northern hemisphere and coming from the north in this? Yes.

Okay. And speaking of caveats, this, I mean, this research seems like it's pretty straightforward, pretty solid.

Okay. And speaking of caveats, this, I mean, this research seems like it's pretty straightforward, pretty solid.

Okay. And speaking of caveats, this, I mean, this research seems like it's pretty straightforward, pretty solid.

Okay, so it's like people hadn't thought to look this far upstream. And how far are we talking?

Okay, so it's like people hadn't thought to look this far upstream. And how far are we talking?

Okay, so it's like people hadn't thought to look this far upstream. And how far are we talking?

Wow. So the researchers did this work, solved kind of a big mystery in why Tornado Alley gets so many tornadoes. What could be some implications of their research?