Tag: Science
New UN report highlights ‘absolutely critical’ need to dramatically slash global methane emissions
“Reducing human-caused methane emissions is one of the most cost-effective strategies to rapidly reduce the rate of warming and contribute significantly to global efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Thursday,…
Renewable energy smashes records in 2020
‘A Remarkable Story of Resilience and Hope “There is a huge amount to be done… The international community must look to this trend as a source of inspiration to go further.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer…
Why we can’t make vaccine doses any faster
President Biden has promised enough doses for all American adults by this summer. There’s not much even the Defense Production Act can do to deliver doses before then. by Isaac Arnsdorf and Ryan Gabrielson February 21,…
New study finds sea level rise projections ‘are on the money’
“If we continue with large ongoing emissions as we are at present, we will commit the world to meters of sea level rise over coming centuries.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Tuesday, February 16, 2021 A…
#TheWorldIsWatching: youth activists direct ire over climate inaction at WEF elite
“If only leaders were as good [at] taking real action as they were giving speeches,” said Greta Thunberg. by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Friday, January 29, 2021 Young activists on Friday issued fresh warnings about the…
New Covid cases plunge 25% or more as behavior changes
by Christina Jewett January 28, 2021 A dozen states are reporting drops of 25% or more in new covid-19 cases and more than 1,200 counties have seen the same, federal data released Wednesday shows. Experts say…
Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Coal Power Plant Rule
‘Major Win for the Planet’ “This decision frees up the new Biden administration to begin working immediately on the science-based greenhouse pollution rules we desperately need to make up for lost time.” by Andrea Germanos, staff…
Climate Emergency persists as 2020 ties for earth’s hottest year on record
“It took over 200 years for [atmospheric CO2] levels to increase by 25%, but now just over 30 years later we are approaching a 50% increase.” by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Friday, January 8, 2021 Highlighting…
Wildfire smoke changes dramatically as it ages, and that matters for downwind air quality – here’s what we learned flying through smoke plumes
Wildfire smoke is far more complex and dynamic than meets the eye. It contains thousands of different compounds, most of which are molecules containing various amounts of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms. by Brett B….
About this year’s winter solstice and the great conjunction
by William Teets, Vanderbilt University Editor’s note: Dr. William Teets is the director of Vanderbilt University’s Dyer Observatory. In this interview, he explains what does and doesn’t happen during the winter solstice on Dec. 21. Another…
Climate movement takes on big oil at the Hague
‘Historic Moment’ Friends of the Earth vs. Shell “This is actually ‘the People versus Shell,’ a company that has got away with greenwashing for too long.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Tuesday, December 1, 2020 Representing…
Clots, strokes and rashes: is COVID a disease of the blood vessels?
by Will Stone Friday, November 13, 2020 Whether it’s strange rashes on the toes or blood clots in the brain, the widespread ravages of COVID-19 have increasingly led researchers to focus on how the novel coronavirus…
Renewables on track to be largest source of global electricity in five years
“Renewable power is defying the difficulties caused by the pandemic, showing robust growth while others fuels struggle,” said IEA executive director Fatih Birol. by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Wednesday, November 11 The International Energy Agency on…
‘It’s science, stupid’: A school subject emerges as a hot-button political issue
Victoria Knight October 30, 2020 At the top of Dr. Hiral Tipirneni’s to-do list if she wins her congressional race: work with other elected officials to encourage mask mandates and to beef up COVID-19 testing…
New study shows 50% coral decline on Great Barrier Reef
‘No Time to Lose’ “We expect this decline to continue,” predicted one of the study’s authors, who said that unless urgent climate action is taken, “the reef will be unrecognizable.” by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Wednesday,…
Signs of an ‘October Vaccine Surprise’ alarm career scientists
Liz Szabo, Kaiser Health News and JoNel Aleccia, Kaiser Health News September 21, 2020 President Donald Trump, who seems intent on announcing a COVID-19 vaccine before Election Day, could legally authorize a vaccine over the objections…
Trump spits climate denialism right in California’s face: “It’ll start getting cooler, you just watch”
“I thought I’d find it funny watching this, but instead it’s just chilling: as the West Coast faces a climate catastrophe, the president laughs at them and denies the problem exists.” by Jon Queally, staff writer…
New study finds Planet heading toward temperature threshold not seen in 34 million years
Researchers behind the comprehensive study of Earth’s atmospheric record over tens of million of years say “immediate and stringent action” could prevent most dire outcomes. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Monday, September 14 A newly published…
Coping with Western wildfires: 5 essential reads
As wildfire smoke turns Western skies orange and red, millions of people face serious health risks from inhaling it, even many who are far from active fires. Wildfire smoke creates an orange glow over San Francisco,…
Fossil fuel lease sales in California amid historic wildfires
“More oil wells mean more greenhouse gases, more air pollution, and more destroyed habitat.” by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Friday, August 28 In the midst of wildfires ravaging the region, conservationists sounded alarm Thursday in response…
What’s in that wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?
The health impact of wildfire exposure depends in part on on the fire itself and how much smoke a person breathes in, how often and for how long. by Luke Montrose, Boise State University If I…
Wildfires can poison drinking water – here’s how communities can be better prepared
The Camp Fire inferno spread at a speed of one football field per second, chasing everyone – including water system operators – out of town. The 2018 Camp Fire north of Sacramento burned everything in its…
Test positivity rate: How this one figure explains that the US isn’t doing enough testing yet
by Ronald D. Fricker, Jr., Virginia Tech The U.S. has performed more coronavirus tests than any other country in the world. Yet, at the same time, the U.S. is notably underperforming in terms of suppressing COVID-19….
How — and when — can the coronavirus vaccine become a reality?
It is likely we’ll eventually have a coronavirus vaccine — but perhaps not as quickly as some expect. From development, to clinical trials and distribution, ProPublica reporter Caroline Chen explains the tremendous challenges that lie ahead….
