ice

More Ice In Antarctica

November 17, 2016 By WAMC WEB

Two years ago, NASA reported that the sea ice surrounding Antarctica reached a new record high extent, surpassing levels mapped since the late 1970s. This seemed to be quite contrary to the global warming trend that is leading to the melting of the Arctic and glaciers worldwide. And in fact, it does seem rather puzzling.

Disappearing Arctic Ice

October 25, 2016 By WAMC WEB

The top of the world is turning from white to blue in the summer. The ice that has long covered the north polar seas is melting away.

Cruising The Northwest Passage

October 3, 2016 By WAMC WEB

The Northwest Passage is a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic Ocean, going along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Climate Change And Radioactive Waste

September 14, 2016 By WAMC WEB

What do climate change and radioactive waste have in common? It turns out a lot more than we’d like. According to research, which was was led by York University in collaboration with the University of Zurich and recently published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, rising global temperatures could lead to the release of – yep, you guessed it – radioactive waste.

Half A Degree

July 28, 2016 By WAMC WEB

The average global temperature is one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. There has long been a goal to limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees above those levels. But the Paris climate conference has set a more ambitious goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. What difference would that half a degree make?

[Read more…] about Half A Degree

Arctic Ecosystems

February 11, 2016 By WAMC WEB

Most of us are aware that shrinking ice cover is bad news for Arctic wildlife, with animals like polar bears and seals losing important breeding, nursery, and feeding grounds. What has received less attention is the impact ice loss has on life in Arctic waters. [Read more…] about Arctic Ecosystems

De-Icing Roadways

February 9, 2016 By WAMC WEB

We have been using salt to keep winter roads free of ice and snow since the late 1930s. In the United States alone, some 20 million tons of salt are applied to roadways each year. And while its use has real benefits in terms of safety and navigation, there have been cumulative costs to the environment, including degrading freshwater resources and contaminating groundwater.

[Read more…] about De-Icing Roadways

Storing Energy As Ice

December 11, 2015 By WAMC WEB

One of the challenges of operating the electricity grid is that there are times when everybody wants more electricity than usual – like during a hot afternoon in August – and the system struggles to keep up with the increased demand.

Locked In A Pattern Of Arctic Ice Loss

November 5, 2015 By EarthWise

There is no dry land at the North Pole and under much of the Arctic ice pack. There, the ocean is covered with sea ice. When this ice melts, it does not cause a rise in sea level, the same way ice cubes melting in your water glass don’t cause it to overflow.

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One of the challenges of operating the electricity grid is that there are times when everybody wants more electricity than usual – like during a hot afternoon in August – and the system struggles to keep up with the increased demand.

There is no dry land at the North Pole and under much of the Arctic ice pack. There, the ocean is covered with sea ice. When this ice melts, it does not cause a rise in sea level, the same way ice cubes melting in your water glass don’t cause it to overflow.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio