"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Category: Earth/Climate science
How Water Pollution Can Harm Agriculture
10/13/19
“How does water pollution harm agriculture?”
Water pollution is a very harmful toxin. And if agriculture is grown with polluted water, then these toxins will be seeped into the plant and cause further damage. This is How Water Pollution Can Harm Agriculture.
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How Air Pollution Leads to Death
10/12/19
“What is the link between air pollution and morbidity?”
Air pollution ravages quality life, cleanliness of cities, and purity of the air. All of this is from the result of toxins found in the chemical reactions that produce such pollution. When ingested, these can cause long-term medical issues such as cancer and lung diseases which eventually leads to loss of life. This is How Air Pollution Leads to Death.
How to Create a Better Alert Systems for Wildfires
10/11/19
“How can we create a better alert system for wildfires?”
Wildfires are becoming an ever-increasing problem with the advent of climate change, whether one lives by the California Pacific coast or the Mediterranean Basin. One of the most common pitfalls of these systems is that many of these geopolitical entities lack a national communications protocol. This can be remedied by creating more uniform structures, thereby Creating a Better Alert Systems for Wildfires.
Why Spring Is Coming Earlier with Climate Change
10/10/19
“Why is Spring coming earlier with climate change?”
In the past, the four seasons in many places were fairly consistent and equal. However, in recent years Spring has been found to be coming earlier and Winter ending faster. This is because rising average temperatures have turned the warmer tail-end of Winters into extended Springs. This is Why Spring Is Coming Earlier with Climate Change.
P.M 2.5
09/29/19
“What is the type of air pollution that makes skies blurry?”
One of the most famous visuals of the effects of air pollution are the blurry and disrupted skies. Whether it be from the urban centers of India, the smokestacks of Chinese factories, or the wildfires in California. One of the main causes of this is from particulate matter the size of 2.5 microns, commonly referred to as P.M 2.5. P.M 2.5 arises from burning materials and can travel deeply into the lungs of humans, causing intense medical damage.
How Wildfires Can Affect Water Quality
09/26/19
“How is water quality affected by wildfires?”
Wildfires are infamous for spewing toxic fumes into the atmosphere and destroying air quality. But what’s lesser-known are its effects on water quality. Since wildfires spawn ash and particles, these can settle on water, destroying its purity. This is How Wildfires Can Affect Water Quality.
Image credit e360.yale.edu
How Climate Change Induced Droughts Will Impinge upon Conventional Power Generation
09/22/19
“How will the increasing frequency of droughts affect conventional power generation?”
Although usually thought of as being completely self-sufficient, conventional power generation relies a great deal on water for its operations. With the increasing frequency of droughts induced by climate change, water will become a more scarce resource in many parts of the globe, therefore reducing a vital feedstock for conventional power. This is How Climate Change Induced Droughts Will Impinge upon Conventional Power Generation.
The Consequences of the Destruction of the Amazon
08/24/19
“What are the ramifications of the loss of the Amazon?”
The Amazon is burning at an unprecedented rate. If the rain forest were to loose another fifth of its area, the world would be permanently scarred. Since the Amazon recycles its own water, if too much of it becomes deforested then the water will seep out, causing a dieback cycle which would turn the rain forest into a savanna. Not only will this be a death knell to its unparalleled biodiversity and indigenous communities, but it would also turn the area from a carbon sink to a carbon emitter, thereby accelerating climate change drastically. Global weather patterns would also be drastically altered and could lead to a drying of the agricultural U.S Midwest during growing season. These are The Consequences of the Destruction of the Amazon.
Forest Dieback
08/23/19
“How can forests suddenly die and emit carbon?”
Forests are one of the greatest carbon sinks available on this planet. However, with the changing climate, the conditions that led to their life are now changing. Induced heat stress and the spread of pathogens are causing entire forests to wither away and release stored carbon. This Forest Dieback can create a positive reinforcement cycle in which the more trees that die the worse the climate becomes, leading even more trees to die off. Two of the most extreme cases of this are in the Amazon rain forest and the Boreal forest, where large portions of the former is actually turning into a savanna.
Image credit upload.wikimedia.org
