The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the United States generated 67 million tons of air pollution in 2021. Ever since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, the amount of air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide, to name a few) in the Earth’s atmosphere skyrocketed. With the increasing toxicity present in the […]
Yet another reason to avoid traffic Read More »
Global warming and its detrimental impacts on society and Earth’s natural systems have become an ever-urgent issue for humanity to confront. According to the U.N.’s World Meteorological Organization, there is a 50–50 chance we will reach 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming within the next five years with the likelihood continuously increasing. As the reality of
Solar geoengineering: An uncharted climate solution or human interference? Read More »
On Wednesday, May 3, four Roxbury high school students and a couple of Northeastern undergraduate volunteers built mini wind turbines as part of an energy education pilot program. The motivation behind the event was not only to teach students about the generation and conversion of energy but also to try out accompanying learning modules with
Globally, Indonesia hosts the largest concentration of mangrove forests, accounting for over 20% of the world’s total mangrove population. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, mangrove forests are among the most threatened ecosystems on our planet, with Indonesia reporting the greatest decline in population of any concentrated area of mangrove forest. Without
Mangroves and oysters: Using nature’s ecosystem engineers to save coastal communities Read More »
From Georgia and Alabama in the South to Michigan and Maine in the North, the American chestnut was once a keystone species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. In 1904, one out of every four trees east of the Mississippi was an American chestnut. It could reach heights over 100 feet, earning it the nickname “the
Darling 58: Using genetic engineering to save the American chestnut Read More »
Visit the seafood section at any supermarket and you’ll see numerous salmon filets laid out on ice, recognizable by the bright, orange color of their flesh. Tasty and easy to cook at home, salmon has always been in high demand and seemingly in high supply too — although the seafood section hardly reveals the entire
The domestication of a king: How farmed salmon are usurping wild salmon Read More »
Flooded streets, obstructed roads, and wrecked homes kicked off the new year, instigated by horrendous storms spread across California’s landscape. The robust storms were deemed a Pineapple Express, a term used when West Coast storms are driven by a buildup of atmospheric moisture that originates in the tropical Pacific Ocean near the islands of Hawai’i.
California’s Pineapple Express Read More »
As of 2021, 367 million tons of plastics were produced globally, with over 22% composed of single-use items. Thanks to its durability, versatility, and ease of production, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has become the most common form of plastic in disposable products like water bottles and grocery bags. Despite some successes in reducing single-use plastics in
