A look at our changing environment.
Sea levels are rising and ocean warming is responsible for the bulk of that rise. As water heats up, it expands, which drives up sea levels. But on top of that, global warming is melting the polar ice sheets, and that is leading to about a quarter of the world’s sea level rise. So far, […]
Methane is a colorless and odorless gas that occurs abundantly in nature and is also a product of certain human activities. It’s also a potent greenhouse gas, meaning it affects climate change by contributing to increased warming. In fact, methane gas is known to warm the planet 86 times more effectively than carbon dioxide over […]
More than five billion tons of plastic have accumulated on land and sea including the most remote regions of the planet as well as in the bodies of animals and humans. There is a compelling need to recycle as much plastic as possible but doing so is a major challenge. Plastic comes in many varieties […]
Not long ago, electric cars were a rarity. Ten years ago, annual global sales of EVs were only a few hundred thousand. As of today, globally, still less than one percent of all the cars on the road are electric. But that is changing rapidly. In fact, electric vehicles are expected to capture nearly 20% […]
Despite all the focus on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, there continues to be little progress toward actually accomplishing reductions. A combination of growing populations, increasing industrialization in the developing world, and just plain reluctance on the part of many sectors of society to act, have all contributed to the continuing buildup of climate-altering gases […]
A team of scientists has found thriving communities of coastal creatures living thousands of miles from their original homes and now ensconced on plastic debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A new study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution reports that dozens of species of coastal invertebrate organisms – including tiny crabs […]
About 12% of the energy consumed by humanity is used to heat and cool homes and businesses. A study by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Princeton University looked at a novel approach to making use of underground water to maintain comfortable temperatures and reduce consumption of natural gas and electricity. The idea is […]
Limiting the rise in global temperature to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius requires decarbonization. This means slashing fossil fuel use, switching to renewable energy sources, and electrifying as many sectors of the economy as possible. Doing these things requires huge numbers of wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles, and storage batteries. All of them […]
Some of the most striking images of climate change are those of melting glaciers in the Arctic and polar bears stranded on shrinking sea ice. The Arctic has been warming at a rate twice as fast as the global average. In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the Arctic’s role in driving extreme […]
The rapid growth of wind and solar power continues to drive a global quest for new battery technologies that can be used to store the energy generated by these sources when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing. For the most part, current battery energy storage systems use lithium-ion batteries – the same […]
Major League Baseball is one of the most historic professional sports leagues in the United States and represents the highest level of professional baseball. Throughout its history, MLB has endured many changes to rules, equipment, and strategy. As a result of these changes, the league has been segmented into several distinct eras, including the dead […]
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest from Asia that primarily feeds on tree of heaven, which is itself an invasive species that has become widespread. The real problem is that the lanternfly can also feed on some 70 other plants such as grapevines, maples, fruit trees, and more. The lanternfly was first discovered in […]
The European Union has banned the sale of new gas-powered cars starting in 2035. The vote came after weeks of negotiations related to possible exemptions to the rule. Germany lobbied for an exemption to be made for cars powered by e-fuels. These are made by combining hydrogen with carbon dioxide that has been removed from […]
Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere means either shutting down emission sources (primarily curbing the use of fossil fuels) or capturing the CO2 as it is emitted. Capturing carbon dioxide from smokestacks and other point sources with high concentrations is relatively efficient and can make economic sense. Removing it from the air, […]
The recent siege of powerful storms in California driven by a series of atmospheric rivers has had a significant effect on the severe drought that has plagued most of the state for many years. Many of the state’s reservoirs are at the highest level they have been for decades. The snowpack in the Sierras is […]
Some people talk to their plants. It is highly unlikely that the plants are listening, but recent research has found that plants are doing quite a bit of talking of their own. It turns out that plant emit a variety of click-like sounds, especially when they are stressed in some way, such as being dehydrated […]
After water, concrete is the world’s second most consumed material. It is the cornerstone of modern infrastructure. Its production accounts for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide is a result of chemical reactions in its manufacture and from the energy required to fuel the reactions. About half of the emissions associated with […]
Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by salt water brought in and out by the tides. These low-lying wetlands are also sometimes called tidal marshes because they occur in the zone between low and high tides. These wetlands are some of the most biologically productive ecosystems on Earth. Cape Cod’s beautiful […]
Two current trends are the increasing reliance on renewable sources in the electric grid and the increasing use of electric vehicles. According to some projections, these trends could lead to the need for costly new power plants to meet peak loads in the evening when cars are plugged in to charge. Overproduction of power from […]
Most of us are familiar with air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and even noise pollution. But it turns out that light can be a pollutant as well, and it’s a consequence of industrial civilization. In fact, nighttime light pollution now covers approximately 23% of the globe and over 80% of inhabited regions. Light pollution […]