Kyoto has recorded the date of peak cherry blossom bloom since the ninth century, one of the longest records of a natural event anywhere. Those records show that the blossoms have been arriving earlier in the year as spring temperatures have risen. Peak flowering is a sensitive signal of climate because the trees respond to warmth accumulated over late winter and early spring. Scientists use these dates to track how quickly local springs are changing. The pattern is a striking example of how an annual cultural tradition, the viewing of blossoms known as hanami, can double as a long-running climate record.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.