[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/EW-01-13-14-Food-and-Climate-Change.mp3|titles=EW 01-13-14 Food and Climate Change]
Air and Water
Seawater: It’s just not the same anymore
We know that carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing in Earth’s atmosphere, and that this will increase temperatures on our planet. But, rising CO2 will have another effect—making the oceans more acid. [Read more…] about Seawater: It’s just not the same anymore
Nature and allergies
As a society, we place a high value on cleanliness. We like to have control over dirt, germs, and nature. Most of us now live in urban or suburban settings with minimal intrusion from the natural world. We clean and sterilize our hands, homes, and children, and our outdoor surroundings are dominated by concrete, pavement, and lawn. [Read more…] about Nature and allergies
Native protection for the coast
[audio:http://wamcradio.org/EarthWise/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/EW-01-01-14-Native-Coast.mp3|titles=EW 01-01-14 Native Coast]
When coastal areas are subject to storm surges, for example, during hurricanes, areas with coastal vegetation tend to fare better. Salt marshes, mangroves, and sea weeds provide an important buffer. This natural vegetation breaks up the direct energy that the sea can exert on coasts and their beaches. [Read more…] about Native protection for the coast
Let's reflect on our success stories
Sometimes people find me depressing to be around. I endlessly point out the impacts of rising human population and resource use, extinction of Earth’s biodiversity, air and water pollution, and climate change. When I really get going, I point out that these human impacts on our planet may threaten the continued persistence of our own species. [Read more…] about Let's reflect on our success stories
What color is your water?
When most of us turn on the tap, we find clean, flowing water. In fact, we’ve come to expect that across this country, and the alternative is both annoying and newsworthy. [Read more…] about What color is your water?
It’s in the air you breathe
Medical evidence continues to pour in showing a strong link between air pollution and increased human mortality. The big players are ozone and small particles, known as PM2.5, in the atmosphere. Both have been under scrutiny by the EPA for years. [Read more…] about It’s in the air you breathe
Sentinel species: Nature’s early warning system
The phrase “canary in a coal mine” is a shorthand expression that indicates an early warning of an environmental hazard. [Read more…] about Sentinel species: Nature’s early warning system
Rising Sea Level 101
One of the most significant impacts of rising global temperatures will be melting of the polar ice on Greenland and Antarctica. These are known as continental ice packs, since the ice rests on underlying land. Their melt-water contributes to sea level rise, the same way adding another cube of ice to a full glass of soda will cause it to overflow. [Read more…] about Rising Sea Level 101
Let’s talk about ammonia
Most of us are familiar with ammonia as an irritating gas that is emitted from window-cleaning fluids. It is a great way to cut through grease that has condensed on glass. [Read more…] about Let’s talk about ammonia
Climate change, oysters, and super-sized crabs
Super-sized crabs may be the next side effect of climate change, according to scientists at the University of North Carolina’s Aquarium Research Center. Researchers analyzed Chesapeake Bay blue crabs kept in both high-carbon and low-carbon tanks. Crabs in the high-carbon tanks grew at almost four times the rate of the other crabs. [Read more…] about Climate change, oysters, and super-sized crabs
Land use leaves a lasting impact on forests
How do Northeastern forests compare with those a settler might have encountered 400 years ago? According to a new study by researchers at Harvard Forest and the Smithsonian, there are stark contrasts between pre-colonial forests and those of today. [Read more…] about Land use leaves a lasting impact on forests
A bad year for the Arctic
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2012 was one of the warmest years since global temperatures have been recorded. This was especially evident in the Arctic, where the effects of warmer temperatures led to several records being broken. [Read more…] about A bad year for the Arctic
Fracking waters contaminate river sediments
Wastewater is produced during oil and gas production, from both conventional and non-conventional wells, including fracking. In the exploitation of the Marcellus shale formation for natural gas, some of the flowback water is derived from the fracking fluids used to release the gas at depth. Some is derived from the shale itself. [Read more…] about Fracking waters contaminate river sediments
Methane on the rise
In coastal ocean sediments, methane produced by decaying organic matter can collect in solid form. Known as a hydrate, this form of methane is stable at cold temperatures and high pressures. But when it’s brought to the surface, it converts from solid to gas, and the escaping methane can be ignited with a match. [Read more…] about Methane on the rise
Tracking disease in a warming world
Understanding how infectious diseases respond to climate change would help public health officials and environmental managers predict and mitigate disease impacts. [Read more…] about Tracking disease in a warming world
A measles-like virus that leads to dolphin loss
A measles-like virus has been sweeping through bottlenose dolphins along the Eastern Seaboard. Since July, more than 330 dolphins have washed up dead on shore between North Carolina and New York, and many more are likely infected. [Read more…] about A measles-like virus that leads to dolphin loss
Gray seals thriving off Cape Cod
If you visited Cape Cod this summer, you probably heard tourists and locals all over town talking about the seals. [Read more…] about Gray seals thriving off Cape Cod
Streams and rivers on rolaids
Our activities are changing the water chemistry of many streams and rivers in the Eastern U.S., with consequences for water supplies and aquatic life. [Read more…] about Streams and rivers on rolaids
The fate of rain
