US Carbon Emissions Spike in 2018 to Their Highest Levels in Eight Years

A new report estimates that American carbon dioxide emissions rose by 3.4 percent in 2018, due to Trump’s policies, cold spells, and economic growth. Continue reading US Carbon Emissions Spike in 2018 to Their Highest Levels in Eight Years

Climate Models Overestimate How Much CO2 Plants Can Remove From the Atmosphere

Carbon dioxide levels might increase even more rapidly than expected based on new research on the molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis. Continue reading Climate Models Overestimate How Much CO2 Plants Can Remove From the Atmosphere

Be a Fire Bender With The Power of Magnets

More often than you think, scientific progress starts with a simple statement: “Huh, that’s funny…” That’s the sign that someone has noticed something peculiar, and that’s the raw fuel of science because it often takes the scientist down interesting rabbit holes that sometimes lead to insights into the way the world works.

[Ben Krasnow] ended up falling down one of those rabbit holes recently with his experiments with magnets and flames. It started with his look at the Zeeman effect, which is the observation that magnetic fields can influence the spectral lines of light emitted by certain sources. In a …read more

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Algae On Your Plate

For those of us who grow up around natural swimming holes, algae are the reason we have to wash after taking a dip. Swimmer’s itch or just being covered in green goop is not an attractive way to spend an afternoon. Lumping all algae together is not fair, some of it is nasty but some of it is delicious and humans have been eating it for generations.

If you are thinking that cases of algae cuisine are not widespread and that algae does not sound appealing, you are not alone. It is a tough sell, like convincing someone to try …read more

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Monitoring Air Quality, One Sleepy Meeting At A Time

To those of us in the corporate world, the conference room is where hope goes to die. Crammed into a space too small for the number of invitees, the room soon glows with radiated body heat and the aromas of humans as the time from their last shower gradually increases. To say it’s not a recipe for productivity is an understatement at best.

Having suffered through too many of these soporific situations, [Charles Ouweland] took matters into his own hands and built this portable air quality meter for meetings. With an OLED display on top and sensors inside, it displays …read more

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This NASA Satellite Is ‘Sounding’ Our Atmosphere to Understand Fossil Fuel Emissions

The OCO-2 spacecraft has been working hard to quantify the impact of humans on the global climate since 2014. Continue reading This NASA Satellite Is ‘Sounding’ Our Atmosphere to Understand Fossil Fuel Emissions