This photograph beautifully captures the majestic scenery of the Southern Ocean, a vital component of the global climate system and a hotspot for deep-sea biodiversity. Whales gracefully swimming through the frame serves as a powerful symbol of the rich and vibrant life that thrives in these waters. Credit: Minoru Ikehara. Climate change impacts not only […]
Scientists have discovered that an “alien plant” first found near a Utah ghost town 55 years ago doesn’t appear to be related to any currently living family or genus. Paleontologists first found fossilized leaf specimens of the plant in 1969 and named it Othniophyton elongatumwhich translates to “alien plant.” At the time, they believed the […]
In 2025, we will see a fundamental transformation in the language of climate politics. We’re going to hear a lot less about “reducing emissions” from scientists and policymakers and a lot more about “phasing out fossil fuels” or “ending coal, oil, and methane gas.” This is a good thing. Although it is scientifically accurate, the […]
This story originally appeared on Vox and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. During his campaignpresident-elect Donald Trump had a pointed tagline for his energy policy: “Drill, baby, drill.” That statement is emblematic of where Trump is poised to focus his efforts in a second term: He’s pledged US “energy dominance” and everything from […]
PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump has selected Chris Wright, a campaign donor and fossil fuel executive, to serve as energy secretary in his upcoming, second administration. CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas developmentincluding fracking, a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” […]
New Zealand is the only country in the world that has an essentially complete, open-access database of its known fossil record. It’s existed for almost 80 years, beginning in 1946 as a filing cabinet stuffed with paper forms at the New Zealand Geological Survey. The project was the initiative of Harold Wellman — the pioneering […]
Countries promised to move away from coal, oil and natural gas at last year’s climate summit. New research shows they’re burning more than ever before.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024, according to new research by the Global Carbon Project science team. The 2024 Global Carbon Budget projects fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 37.4 billion metric tons, up 0.8% from 2023. The Global Carbon Budget report, produced by […]
The end of a terror bird’s left tibiotarsus, a lower leg bone in birds equivalent to that of a human tibia or shin bone, dates back to the Miocene epoch around 12 million years ago. Credit: Degrange et al. Researchers including a Johns Hopkins University evolutionary biologist report they have analyzed a fossil of an […]
