A look at our changing environment.
A new survey of the sub-seafloor off the U.S. Northeast coast has revealed the existence of a gigantic aquifer of relatively fresh water trapped in porous sediments lying beneath the salty ocean. This appears to be the largest such formation ever found. The newly-discovered aquifer stretches from the shore at least from Massachusetts to New […]
Wild bees in Argentina have recently been found to be constructing nests entirely made of flimsy plastic material left on farms and scientists don’t know why. In 2017 and 2018, researchers at Argentina’s National Agricultural Technology Institute built wooden, artificial nests for wild bees. These bee species burrow into nests to individually lay larvae rather […]
Hundreds of companies around the world have committed to use 100% renewable energy in order to fight climate change. But a new study from Stanford University points out that 100% renewable energy does not necessarily mean 100% carbon-free energy. The problem is that the carbon content of electricity can vary a lot over the course […]
In recent years, there have been some unusually harsh winters in North America and Central Europe. This past January, the Midwestern US experienced extreme cold temperatures. We have all become familiar with the term ‘polar vortex’ and its role in sending cold air to middle latitudes and it is generally agreed that unusual behavior by […]
A study by engineers at Cornell University looked at the implications of adding utility-scale solar farms throughout New York State. Adding such farms could reduce demand for electricity from conventional sources by nearly 10% in some places. But the engineers caution that winters in upstate New York could create some novel problems for the state’s […]
Permafrost is defined as rock or soil that has been at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Most of it is located in high latitudes in and around the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Permafrost covers nearly a quarter of the exposed land in the Northern Hemisphere. Permafrost can contain […]
It isn’t so easy to be a farmer these days. Farming has always involved long hours, hard work and the uncertainties of weather and yield. The 21st Century has added new and unique challenges such as increasingly unpredictable weather, insect infestation and disease, and low commodity prices. Add in sudden tariffs and farmers struggle even […]
According to new research by scientists from Durham University and Lancaster University, the United States military is one of the largest climate polluters. The U.S. military consumes more liquid fuels and emits more greenhouse gases than most countries. The study, published in Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, finds that if the U.S. […]
One of the largest utilities in the United States, Xcel Energy Inc., announced that it will close its remaining coal-fired power plants in the Upper Midwest a decade ahead of its previously-announced schedule. In addition, the company will add 3,000 megawatts of new solar capacity by 2030. The Allen S. King plant in Oak Park […]
It has been the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community for a long time that human activity and other external factors are responsible for the continuing rise in global temperature. Despite this widespread agreement, there have been those who argue that natural ocean cycles might be influencing global warming over the course of multiple decades. […]
Shark fins are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, especially in China. Shark fin soup, for example, is often served at engagement parties and weddings. But the use of shark fins has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, especially since an estimated one-third of fins are harvested from species deemed at […]
The 1987 signing of the Montreal Protocol was one of the biggest victories for global environmental stewardship. The 197 signatory nations banded together to address a planetary emergency: the depletion of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere resulting from the use of chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs. Over the years, there were celebratory headlines like “The […]
The warming of the planet does not necessarily imply local weather will be warmer or drier than average. While heatwaves and droughts are increasingly common events in many places, so are intense rain events. A new study led by scientists at the University of Illinois has found that intense rainfall is as damaging to the […]
Three years ago, we reported that the United States had installed its one millionth solar energy system, a feat that took 40 years to accomplish. Recently, the Solar Energy Industries Association announced that there are now more than 2 million U.S. installations. Analysts forecast that there will be 3 million installation in 2021 and 4 […]
The Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica is the world’s largest ice shelf, covering an area roughly the size of France. Scientists have spent several years building up a record of how the northwest sector of the enormous ice shelf interacts with the ocean beneath it. Their results show that the ice is melting much more […]
If it seemed like May was unusually rainy, that’s because it was. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, May 2019 was the second-wettest month on record in the U.S. and contributed to a record-setting wet 12-month period. The average precipitation for May was 4.41 inches, which is 1.5 inches above normal. The wettest […]
Like many places in the Middle East, Dubai made its fortune from oil. But the Emirate’s oil resources are limited, and its economy has evolved in other directions. Today, oil provides less than 5% of Dubai’s revenues; its economy relies on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. Dubai is also away […]
Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for a long time. Marathon runners wrap themselves in them to avoid losing body heat after a race. They are very effective, but the amount of heat that they trap is fixed. There is no way to regulate how much heat is trapped or released using a space blanket. […]
Back in 2016, a company called Nopalimex, located in Micoacan, central Mexico, built the world’s first cactus-powered energy plant. The facility utilizes a biodigester to make biogas from nopal, also known as prickly pear cactus. The nopal plant has been called the ‘Green Gold of Mexico’ and is a staple in Mexican diets, medicine and […]
The second-largest breeding colony of emperor penguins in Antarctica, located in the Waddell Sea, has experienced “catastrophic breeding failure” for the past three years. Nearly all of the colony’s chicks have failed to survive due to the breakup of sea ice, according to a new study published in the journal Antarctic Science. The colony was […]