Hurricane Ida Shows Why We Urgently Need Bold, Just and Equitable Climate Action
Union of Concerned Scientists
SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
More catastrophic storms are coming.
2021
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Perspective: More Attention Needed on Freshwater Biodiversity
Circle of Blue
DECEMBER 16, 2021
Freshwater species are dying off and decreasing in abundance. Yet conservation funding centers on lands and oceans. Boats ply the waters of the Mekong River Delta, near Can Tho, Vietnam. Home to about 65 million people across four countries, the lower Mekong is also prized for its diversity of aquatic species. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. By Stefan Lovgren – December 16, 2021.
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Sensing gravity, the quantum way
Physics World
DECEMBER 8, 2021
Much of quantum technology is linked to computing. It is easy to imagine how a better, more powerful computer, capable of solving complex problems, could be useful. But what is a computer, after all, if not a data-processing machine. Computers, quantum or otherwise, transform data into information, which is then used to steer scientific, medical, industrial processes.
Embracing a Wetter Future, the Dutch Turn to Floating Homes
Yale E360
DECEMBER 7, 2021
Faced with worsening floods and a shortage of housing, the Netherlands is seeing growing interest in floating homes. These floating communities are inspiring more ambitious Dutch-led projects in flood-prone nations as far-flung as French Polynesia and the Maldives. Read more on E360 ?.
Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation
Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition
Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.
A Nobel pursuit
Real Climate
OCTOBER 12, 2021
Klaus Hasselmann and Suki Manabe. Last week, the Nobel physics prize was (half) awarded to Suki Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann for their work on climate prediction and the detection and attribution of climate change. This came as quite a surprise to the climate community – though it was welcomed warmly. We’ve discussed the early climate model predictions a lot (including some from Manabe and his colleagues), and we’ve discussed detection and attribution of climate change as well,
Human brain cells in a dish learn to play Pong faster than an AI
New Scientist
DECEMBER 17, 2021
Hundreds of thousands of brain cells in a dish are being taught to play Pong by responding to pulses of electricity – and can improve their performance more quickly than an AI can
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Squirrel Parkour? The Science Behind Squirrel Acrobatics
Cool Green Science
NOVEMBER 15, 2021
Your bird feeder doesn’t stand a chance. New research shows squirrels combine incredible physical abilities with split-second decision making. The post Squirrel Parkour? The Science Behind Squirrel Acrobatics appeared first on Cool Green Science.
How do Flying Fish “Fly”?
Ocean Conservancy
NOVEMBER 9, 2021
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a … fish? Although most fish don’t take to the skies, flying fish are one spectacular exception (kind of). Read on to see how flying fish get their distinctive name and learn more fun facts about this small but impressive species. See more wonderful ocean animals! Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763.
When and why did human brains decrease in size 3,000 years ago? New study may have found clues within ants
Frontiers
OCTOBER 21, 2021
By Suzanna Burgelman, Frontiers science writer. Image: Yongkiet Jitwattanatam/Shutterstock.com. The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. Now, a new study has brought us closer to understanding some of its evolution. It shows that human brains decreased in size approximately 3,000 years ago. By studying ants as models to illustrate why brains may increase or decrease in size, the researchers hypothesize that brain shrinkage parallels the expansion of collective intelligence in human
The Rate of Global Warming During Next 25 Years Could Be Double What it Was In The Previous 50, a Renowned Climate Scientist Warns
Inside Climate News
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
Former NASA climate scientist James Hansen urged Congress decades ago to act on climate change. Now he says he expects reduced aerosol pollution to lead to a steep temperature rise. By Bob Berwyn James Hansen, a climate scientist who shook Washington when he told Congress 33 years ago that human emissions of greenhouse gases were cooking the planet, is now warning that he expects the rate of global warming to double in the next 20 years.
Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations
Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital
As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.
With Census Data Now Available, You Can Help Protect Democracy: Here’s How
Union of Concerned Scientists
AUGUST 17, 2021
2020 US Census data are now available and accessible–and there are an exciting variety of tools for science and democracy advocates to use this data to demand fair and unbiased districting.
Utah’s Water Dilemma
Circle of Blue
NOVEMBER 29, 2021
Utah’s Water Dilemma Record-breaking drought along the Wasatch Front forces tough decisions about water supply. Brett Walton, Circle of Blue November 29, 2021. BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah – Sitting inside a shepherd’s trailer hitched to his white pickup truck, Robert Child recounts a lifetime spent running sheep in the pastures of northern Utah. Wind gently rocks the compact trailer as Child, who is 75, describes the grazing rotations for his 2,000-head flock.
Entangling a live tardigrade, radiation warning on anti-5G accessories
Physics World
DECEMBER 17, 2021
Tardigrades are tiny organisms that can survive extreme environments including being chilled to near absolute zero. At these temperatures quantum effects such as entanglement become dominant, so perhaps it is not surprising that a team of physicists has used a chilled tardigrade to create an entangled qubit. According to a preprint on the arXiv server, the team cooled a tardigrade to below 10 mK and then used it as the dielectric in a capacitor that itself was part of a superconducting transmon
Why Putting Solar Canopies on Parking Lots Is a Smart Green Move
Yale E360
NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Solar farms are proliferating on undeveloped land, often harming ecosystems. But placing solar canopies on large parking lots offers a host of advantages — making use of land that is already cleared, producing electricity close to those who need it, and even shading cars. Read more on E360 ?.
Sustainability at Retail
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Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.
The definitive CO2/CH4 comparison post
Real Climate
SEPTEMBER 19, 2021
There is a new push to reduce CH 4 emissions as a possible quick ‘win-win’ for climate and air quality. To be clear this is an eminently sensible idea – as it has been for decades (remember the ‘ Methane-to-markets’ initiative from the early 2000s?), but it inevitably brings forth a mish-mash of half-remembered, inappropriate or out-of-date comparisons between the impacts of carbon dioxide and methane.
7200-year-old DNA suggests Denisovans bred with humans on Sulawesi
New Scientist
AUGUST 25, 2021
For the first time, DNA has been extracted from a Stone Age person who lived on Sulawesi – the genetic data suggests Denisovans lived on the island and interbred with humans there
The Benefits of Vaccinating Kids against COVID Far Outweigh the Risks of Myocarditis
Scientific American
DECEMBER 2, 2021
Vaccination is likely to prevent many more COVID cases than it is to cause a rare and nonfatal heart side effect in 5–11-year-olds. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.
413(ish) reasons why building Highway 413 is a very bad idea
Enviromental Defense
NOVEMBER 9, 2021
Highway 413 has been back in the news lately, and for one very important, and very concerning reason. In the recent Fall Economic Statement, the Ontario government firmly planted its flag in the ground in favour of building the highway, including committing unspecified billions towards constructing both Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. Tell Ontario to Stop Highway 413.
TeamSeas Will Be Transformational for Our Ocean—Let’s Go!
Ocean Conservancy
OCTOBER 29, 2021
Today YouTubers MrBeast, Mark Rober and thousands of other creators are joining together to launch TeamSeas, a crowd-funded campaign with the goal of raising $30 million dollars by January 1 to remove 30 million pounds of trash from rivers, beaches and our ocean. Ocean Conservancy has been chosen as the beaches and ocean partner for the campaign—a testament to our 36-year history of mobilizing the International Coastal Cleanup® and, more recently, removing lost and discarded fishing gear from wa
Surprising discovery in Arctic songbird may reveal how it survives challenging migrations
Frontiers
OCTOBER 6, 2021
By K.E.D Coan, science writer. Snow buntings in winter. Image: Mircea Costina/Shutterstock.com. There is still much to learn about how Arctic migratory birds adjust their physiology during different phases of their life. For example, between winter and summer habitats, or during migration. A recent study published to Frontiers shows the first evidence that snow buntings keep their winter traits through migration.
Florida’s Majestic Manatees Are Starving to Death
Inside Climate News
SEPTEMBER 12, 2021
Deprived of once plentiful seagrass, more than 900 have died this year. Some experts contend they were taken off the endangered species list prematurely. By Amy Green ORLANDO, Fla.—The manatee was too weak to swim.
Tyson Foods Is a Monster in Disguise
Union of Concerned Scientists
OCTOBER 29, 2021
Try as they might, Tyson Foods can't dress up the facts.
Rising Cost of Water in Michigan Leads to Affordability Problems
Circle of Blue
DECEMBER 2, 2021
A growing number of Michigan households are burdened by high water bills, report finds. The community action group Detroit Water Brigade delivered water in August 2014 to city residents whose water had been shut off because of late payments. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. The rising cost of water and sewer service is a problem across Michigan, but especially for high-poverty communities.
Quantum entanglement of two macroscopic objects is the Physics World 2021 Breakthrough of the Year
Physics World
DECEMBER 14, 2021
Quantum technology has made great strides over the past two decades and physicists are now able to construct and manipulate systems that were once in the realm of thought experiments. One particularly fascinating avenue of inquiry is the fuzzy border between quantum and classical physics. In the past, a clear delineation could be made in terms of size: tiny objects such as photons and electrons inhabit the quantum world whereas large objects such as billiard balls obey classical physics.
Three Myths About Renewable Energy and the Grid, Debunked
Yale E360
DECEMBER 9, 2021
Renewable energy skeptics argue that because of their variability, wind and solar cannot be the foundation of a dependable electricity grid. But the expansion of renewables and new methods of energy management and storage can lead to a grid that is reliable and clean. Read more on E360 ?.
The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report
Real Climate
AUGUST 9, 2021
Climate scientists are inordinately excited by the release of a new IPCC report (truth be told, that’s a bit odd – It’s a bit like bringing your end-of-(seven)-year project home and waiting anxiously to see how well it will be received). So, in an uncharacteristically enthusiastic burst of effort, we have a whole suite of posts on the report for you to read.
Hundreds of Salvadorans claim money is vanishing from bitcoin accounts
New Scientist
DECEMBER 23, 2021
El Salvador's attempt to become the world's first state to adopt bitcoin as legal tender hits another stumbling block as hundreds of citizens claim that funds are disappearing from their accounts
To Look or Not to Look? That Is the Question
Scientific American
SEPTEMBER 6, 2021
The search for technological relics of extraterrestrial civilizations will inspire the public and attract talent to the field of astronomy. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.
In Climate Talks, Plans to Keep Planet from Overheating Should Not Ignore Water
Circle of Blue
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
Carbon-reduction plans, if not well designed, can worsen water scarcity and pollution. Transmission lines in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, stretch to the horizon. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. Plans to reduce carbon emissions should take water into account. Some low-carbon energy options require significant amounts of water. Water can also be a climate solution.
Toxin Levels Spike, Prompting Drinking Water Emergency in Northern California
Circle of Blue
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
Cyanotoxins in the state’s second-largest freshwater lake soared this month amid a hot, dry summer. Colorful blooms of cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, paint the nearshore waters of Clear Lake, California’s second-largest freshwater lake. Toxin levels in the blooms broke records in this hot, dry summer. Photo courtesy of Frank Costner.
Water Groups Lauded a Side Agreement at the Paris Climate Conference. Then It Languished.
Circle of Blue
OCTOBER 5, 2021
The fate of the Paris Pact reveals the difficulties in incorporating water into global climate agreements. The Tigris River watershed is shared by Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. National actions take precedent in climate adaptation and mitigation over watershed-level plans. Recognition of water in national climate plans is increasing but more could be done.
Why Protecting Tribal Rights Is Key to Fighting Climate Change
Yale E360
OCTOBER 27, 2021
Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, talks with Yale Environment 360 about how climate change is hitting Native Americans especially hard and why protecting tribal sovereignty is critical for tackling the climate crisis. Read more on E360 ?.
Droughts Push More People to Migrate Than Floods
Circle of Blue
AUGUST 24, 2021
World Bank report sheds light on the nuanced connections between “water shocks” and human migration. Indications of migration due to water scarcity and groundwater depletion came as early as 2006 in Mexico’s Tehuacán Valley where a combination of declining rainfall and factory farms caused community wells to go dry. Francisca Rosas Valencia dabs away tears while praying for her son, Florentine, who left home to work in Los Angeles. “It is not easy to be outside of one’s homelan
‘The Opportunity Is Now’: Water Advocates View Upcoming UN Climate Conference as Moment of Relevance
Circle of Blue
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
Water was overlooked in past global climate talks. Advocates are focusing on the Glasgow meeting to highlight water’s indispensable climate role. Demonstrators took to the streets at the 2009 global climate convention in Copenhagen. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. Adaptation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and accounting for climate damages will be prominent topics at the UN climate convention in November.
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