In The News

Ringside Seat at the Cutting Edge of Science

Priyamvada Natarajan and Ravi Sankrit June 12, 2014
In March, a team of physicists announced that data from the BICEP2 telescope, at the South Pole, offered evidence for cosmic inflation, thus confirming the Big Bang Theory. The event went viral online. Scientists around the globe weighed in, pointing out that the team may have underestimated the effects of space dust in measuring ripple waves that could be from the expansion of the universe. “The...

United Nations: Climate Impacts “Overwhelming”

Matt McGrath March 31, 2014
The impacts of climate change are severe and already underway – with higher risks of flooding, wildfires, food and water shortages, and property damage, suggests a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations. The report is based on more than 12,000 peer-reviewed studies. Researchers anticipate high costs for adaptation and disaster relief. “Humans may be able...

Are Big, Rich Cities Greener Than Poor Ones?

March 17, 2014
More than half the world’s population lives in cities: “Consequently, a new science of cities is being fueled by the sudden availability of fascinating datasets collected from urban areas all over the world,” notes MIT Technology Review. As cities grow wages rise, drawing more residents; reliance on vehicles tends to decline. Overall, wealthier nations produce more emissions per capita than...

Wavier Jet Stream “May Drive Weather Shift”

Pallab Ghosh February 18, 2014
Politicians have long assumed that they have plenty of time to cope with the onslaught of climate change, and scientists claim it is too early to link a wavering jet stream with this winter’s extreme weather in the northern hemisphere. Yet ordinary people should consider that climate change attributed to the burning of coal and other fossil fuels may be less gradual than once thought. A study...

If You See Something, Say Something

Michael E. Mann January 21, 2014
Climate scientists are in 97 percent agreement that rapid climate change is underway and immediate response could stem the effects of warming temperatures and rising seas. The media often suggest the issue remains under debate. “If one is looking for real differences among mainstream scientists, they can be found on two fronts: the precise implications of those higher temperatures, and which...

US Cold Snap Fuels Climate Debate

Jeff Tollefson January 10, 2014
A sudden drop in temperatures across the United States has ignited debate about the influence of climate change and polar melt over the stability of one of the world’s two jet streams. “The polar jet stream is a natural product of Earth’s rotation and climate system, created as warm air from the south merges with cold Arctic air,” writes Jeff Tollefson for Nature. “Most of the time it is fairly...

“Chance of a Century”: International Investors Flock to Tehran

Susanne Koelbl January 6, 2014
Investors and businesses, particularly major oil and gas companies, are descending on Iran, hoping to profit from 80 million people, many of whom are eager to engage in international commerce. Iran has the world’s fourth largest oil reserves and the second largest gas reserves, and the nation’s equipment requires updating and renovations. Western sanctions, imposed on Iran’s nuclear program,...