By Fiona Harvey, The Guardian Impact on ecosystems must be predicted before technology is used, US atmospheric science agency chief says. Scientists must work urgently on predicting the effects of climate geoengineering, the chief of the US atmospheric science agency has said, as the technology is likely to be needed, at …
Why is the idea of the Anthropocene so contentious?
By Sachi Mulkey and Kate Yonder, Grist The question of whether humans created a new epoch has been stirring up drama for almost 25 years. The scientist Paul Crutzen grew tired of the Holocene 24 years ago. The geologic epoch had reigned for 11,700 years, ever since the sprawling ice …
Aerial Surveys of Great Barrier Reef Ordered as Flights Show Extensive Coral Bleaching
By Graham Readfearn, The Guardian Helicopter flights over almost 50 reefs off the Queensland coast found bleaching in the south was “fairly uniform” Coral bleaching at Heron Island, off Gladstone in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef seen last week. Conservationists fear a seventh mass bleaching event could …
This Chart of Ocean Temperatures Should Really Scare You
By Benji Jones, Vox The Atlantic Ocean is unusually warm right now. Here’s why scientists say that’s “deeply troubling.” Change in sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean relative to a historic baseline. Darker orange corresponds to areas that are abnormally warm, whereas blue indicates a region is abnormally …
Better Air Quality is Linked to Reduced Suicide Rates, Study Finds
Unviersity of California Santa Barbara, Phys.Org Researchers in the United States and China have discovered a curious link between air pollution and suicide rates that prompts us to reconsider how to approach this issue. China’s efforts to reduce air pollution have prevented 46,000 suicide deaths in the country over just …
Falkland Islands Dispute is Causing Fishing ‘Free-For-All’ in Nearby Blue Hole
By Sam Meadows, The Guardian Warning that soaring number of vessels threaten fish stocks and environment as geopolitics prevents agreement to regulate area. The scale of unregulated fishing in a disputed region close to the Falkland Islands has reached an “overwhelming” level that is threatening fish populations and the rich biodiversity of …
Please Don’t Store Nuclear Waste in our Precious Oil Fields, Says Fossil Fuel Industry
By Jon Christian, Futurism Not in my backyard! Spent Fuel In many ways, nuclear power remains a perfectly reasonable stopgap as the world attempts to wean itself off environmentally harmful fossil fuels: it’s pretty safe overall, it generates a steady supply of power around the clock, and it’s well understood. …
Scientists Strapped Cameras to a Bunch of Polar Bears. The Footage is Breathtaking — and Alarming.
By Benji Jones, Vox As the Arctic warms, these iconic bears are spending more time on land. New videos reveal why that’s a problem. New footage from cameras strapped to polar bears in Canada reveals what life is like in a warming world. USGS/Washington State University Global warming is famously bad …
Atlantic Ocean Circulation Nearing ‘Devastating’ Tipping Point, Study Finds
By Jonathan Watts, The Guardian Collapse in system of currents that helps regulate global climate would be at such speed that adaptation would be impossible. The circulation of the Atlantic Ocean is heading towards a tipping point that is “bad news for the climate system and humanity”, a study has …
The First Car-Free Community Built From Scratch in the US is About to Take Off: ‘For Some, Cars Equal Freedom, but for Me, It’s a Restriction’
By Robert English, The Cool Down “Freedom is being able to just simply walk out and access places.” In the small town just a light-rail trip away from downtown Phoenix, residents of a place called Culdesac in Arizona are one of the first non-urban communities in the U.S. to boast a walkable, car-free …