Earth Wise

Sea levels are rising around the world because of melting ice as well as warming waters since water expands as its temperature goes up.  Average sea levels around the world are predicted to rise by about three feet by the end of the century as a consequence of the warming climate. But the amount of sea […]

Some of the poorest countries in the world are unfortunately among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.   Malawi, for example, has 90% of its population in rural areas and 80% of its labor force is associated with agriculture. Centuries of accumulated knowledge of the pattern of the seasons – when to plant […]

China and the United States today produce nearly half of the world’s carbon emissions, so the fight against global climate change depends greatly upon what actions the two countries take.   China has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past twenty years from a largely rural society to one that is far more urbanized and far […]

There is a lot of interest in figuring out a way to store carbon dioxide produced from industrial processes and energy plants or even sucking it out of the atmosphere and then storing it.   The problem is where exactly to put the stuff and how to make sure that it stays there. Two research groups […]

It is widely thought that we are in the midst of the 6th great mass extinction of species on Earth and, unlike the previous ones that were caused by things like asteroid impacts or ice ages, this one is caused by us.  Our impact on the climate, on natural resources, on landscapes and habitats, and […]

Scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee were trying to find a series of chemical reactions that could turn carbon dioxide into a useful fuel.  But the unexpected occurred:  they found that the first step in their process actually got the job done all by itself.   The reaction turns CO2 into ethanol, which is […]

Global climate change is typically referred to as global warming and that name implies that things are getting warmer all the time.   Well, the planet as a whole is, as measured by the planet-wide mean temperature, which continues to rise over time. However, there is an important distinction between climate and weather, and the changing […]

Hundreds of thousands of reindeer roam Russia’s Yamal Peninsula, which is located in northwestern Siberia, and are herded by the indigenous Nenets people, reportedly among the Arctic’s last truly nomadic reindeer herders.  Reindeer provide these indigenous people with transportation, food, clothes, and even tools made from their bones.  Reindeer are well suited for the freezing […]

Santa Claus may have to change out of that heavy red suit this Christmas.  The North Pole, site of his fabled workshop, is seeing historically high temperatures this year.  In fact, it is 36 degrees Fahrenheit higher than it has been in past decades.  This is a staggering number. The entire Arctic, the region that […]

The Arctic used to be pretty much a pristine wilderness populated only by fairly small numbers of indigenous residents living environmentally benign lifestyles.  The disruptive elements of modern civilization were not much of a factor.   Because of the changing climate, this is no longer true. Both the Northwest Passage across the top of Canada and […]