There is a lot talk about zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) and how they can potentially help us reduce our carbon footprints, but is this really the case? Dr. Jonathan Lesser, the author of “Short Circuit: The High Cost of Electric Vehicles,” recently wanted to figure it out (Lesser, 2018). He conducted his study to determine just …
You might love to travel, but have you ever stopped to think about the impact your passion is having on the environment? As it turns out, your carbon footprint may be larger than you initially thought. This is according to a new study, which assessed emissions from travel, plus the full lifecycle of carbon in …
Many people are aware of the ice melting in some of the world’s coldest climates, but how is Antarctica doing? To find out, NASA recently conducted a study to find out how the ice is holding up at the end of the earth. To conduct their research, the scientists developed software that could process hundreds …
What if we could blanket the planet and shelter it from the Sun? Would it help Earth maintain a cool, comfortable temperature and reduce the impact of global warming? This is what a group of scientists recently wanted to figure out. The theory of geoengineering involves spraying sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to form clouds. …
Although the Northeast is a hot spot for leaf peeping, many early travelers have been left disappointed. Warm temperatures and an unusual weather pattern crossing the Midwest and Northeast have delayed leaf peeping in hot spots across the U.S. As Linda Lam explains for The Weather Channel, high and low temperatures have been “well-above average …
What would the world look like without coffee? This is what some researchers are wondering now that they’ve looked at the impact of climate change and pollination on coffee bean plants. For a recent study, a group of scientists wanted to examine how climate change caused geographic range shifts in pollinators and major crops (Imbach …
Famine is a real problem in certain areas of the world, and while we are not necessarily facing a food shortage as a planet just yet, many people are thinking ahead to the future. What will happen when our resources start to dwindle? How will our growing population sustain itself over time? As it turns …
Air pollution is already a significant problem in many parts of the world, but what about the U.S.? Recently, scientists set out to determine just how much air pollution we’re exposed to in the U.S., as well as how it’s impacting our health. (Di et al., 2017) The researchers used 12 years of data, health records …
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most stunning underwater marvels, but depending on the pace of global warming, it may not be here for us to witness in the future. According to a new report published in Nature, the resilience of the reef is quickly dropping. (Hughes et al., 2017) This comes after …
China’s cities (specifically Beijing and Shanghai) are known for its smog, and it’s a big problem. Aside from the obvious aesthetic problems, smog can cause a wide range of diseases and negatively impact the environment – but how bad is the issue? Is it really as damaging as the media portrays? Smog Problems of the …