Global warming may be responsible for rising sea levels and habitat destruction, but how is it impacting everyday life for humans? A study led by Soloman Hsiang of Cal Berkeley has honed in on exactly how climate change affects human conflict. Hsiang and his colleagues, Marshall Burke and Edward Miguel, looked at 60 primary studies …
Editor’s note: This article is an example of fortune telling in science. These ideas are based on models with constantly moving targets, and with accuracy based on best assumptions and worst case scenarios. There is no way to tell the future, and scientists do not have a crystal ball that is more accurate than any …
Mealworms may not be the prettiest creatures on the planet, but you might want to think twice before considering them just another useless insect. In fact, mealworms could eventually save Earth from destruction via plastic. Researchers at Stanford University recently shared a study that showed mealworms could live on a diet of foamed polystyrene, also …
If you keep up with environmental issues, you might already know that the Great Barrier Reef has been a primary concern for scientists. Global warming and changing ocean temperatures have directly impacted the reef and its eco-system, but conservation efforts have been in full swing for years. That being said, how is the Great Barrier Reef these …
Hooray for trees, plant life and healthy air! Finally, a new Yale-led study is providing positive news on the environment. Research shows that there are now 3 trillion trees on Earth, which is seven-and-a-half times more than previous estimates. The scientists conducted the study using satellite imagery, forest inventories and supercomputer technologies. Researchers from around …
When you see pictures of devastating smog engulfing a large metropolis, you likely think of the impact that some countries — particularly, China — are having on the environment. However, China’s contribution to carbon emissions may not be as large as once thought. A new study has found that between 2000 and 2013, China created …
If you’ve been anxious about the next mass extinction, bad news: it’s already commenced. Scientists have found that species loss is currently 100 times greater than the expected rate. In short, we’ve already entered the sixth mass extinction, and soon we may face the same fate as the dinosaurs. “The evidence is incontrovertible that recent …
Editor’s note: This post has been updated and broken links removed. Please see our policy on broken hyperlinks for more. You may have heard that at the rate we’re going, we’re quickly headed toward a lack of fresh water. As the creatures responsible for this planet, we haven’t exactly done the best job of sustaining …
So you say you care about the planet. But how much? According to a new study published in Nature Climate Change, your outlook on the environment and global warming may be dependent on your region. Research has found that more than 50 percent of the population of Hawaii, California, Vermont and Massachusetts are concerned about …