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People Climate Environment Global Warming Life on Earth

Will humans go extinct? For all the existential threats, we’ll likely be here for a very long time

Will our species go extinct? The short answer is yes. The fossil record shows everything goes extinct, eventually. Almost all species that ever lived, over 99.9%, are extinct.

Some left descendants. Most – plesiosaurs, trilobites, Brontosaurus – didn’t. That’s also true of other human species. Neanderthals, Denisovans, H. erectus all vanished, leaving just H. sapiens. Humans are inevitably heading for extinction. The question isn’t whether we go extinct, but when.

Nick Longrich, University of Bath

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People Climate Global Warming

The Science Behind the Things That Kill Us (And How to Conquer Them)

Whether it’s gorging on junk food, smoking cigarettes, or binge-watching Netflix in lieu of exercise, bad habits are just part of the human experience. But what is it about negative behaviors, products, and lifestyle choices that make them so attractive? And why are they so addicting?

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Global Warming Climate

NASA visualizes the amount of ice loss from the polar ice caps

NASA has published visualizations of the amount of ice loss from the polar ice caps in a post titled “Visualizing the Quantities of Climate Change: Ice Sheet Loss in Greenland and Antarctica”.

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Energy Climate Environment Global Warming

Harnessing Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy taps into and harvests the heat released from below the surface of the earth. It’s a renewable energy that doesn’t contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Geothermal energy reduces our carbon footprint and doesn’t take up a structural footprint, either. Unlike the endless fields of wind turbines or solar panel arrays, most of the energy generation happens out of sight and underground.

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Global Warming Climate Environment

The Mechanics of the Greenhouse Gas Effect

Did you know that there used to be palm trees in the Arctic? It was 56 million years ago, but it was caused by greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. It’s hard to imagine palm trees swaying in a place we think of polar bears and glaciers, but due to the greenhouse gas effect, that was a reality.

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Environment Climate Global Warming People Planet Earth

Investigating Overpopulation: The Solutions

Urbanization is just one of the many effects of overpopulation here on Earth, along with the rapid dwindling of the natural environment as a whole. The general consensus across the scientific community is that a number of factors have contributed to global overpopulation. More than 7.7 billion people live on Earth as of 2020, largely due to longer life expectancies, improved sanitation, and advancements in medicine over the last few centuries.

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Global Warming Climate

How Climate Change Impacts California Wildfires

Every year, California wildfires force residents to temporarily evacuate their homes and seek refuge in shelters, motels, or with relatives. While the wildfire season is one of the few things that truly unites both Northern and Southern California, it’s also not a new phenomenon: you can track over a century of California wildfires recorded by Cal Fire as part of a California Public Radio Project.

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Global Warming Climate

The decline of Arctic Sea Ice Over the Past 35 Years

This NASA visualization shows a rapid decline in Arctic Sea ice over the last 35 years, based on satellite observations. The situation is really bad: in the 1st week of January 1988, over 1.2 million sq. miles (3.1 million km2) were covered by sea ice 4 years of age or older, compared with just over 44,000 sq. miles (114,000 km2) in the same week in 2019. Less than 5% once it was!

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Global Warming Climate Environment

Carbon, Climate Change, and Public Health

The era of climate change is upon us, and if we stand idle, its far-reaching negative impact will only increase. Increased emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide play a significant role in the onset of climate change. Gases like these trap heat in the atmosphere, not allowing temperatures to fall. This results in global warming, and the subsequent climate change consequences. While this climate disaster has repercussions at many levels, its effect on public health is one of grave concern.

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Climate Global Warming Mars Space Exploration

Here’s why Mars is cold despite having an atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide

Mars, often referred to as the Red Planet, boasts an atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide, a gas typically associated with warmth-inducing greenhouse effects on Earth. Yet, anyone expecting balmy temperatures on Mars would be in for a chilly surprise. Despite its CO₂-rich atmosphere, Mars remains an icy desert with temperatures often plummeting far below freezing. The paradoxical nature of a cold planet blanketed by a gas known for trapping heat sparks curiosity and demands an explanation. In this article, we’ll delve into the multifaceted reasons behind Mars’ frigid climate, revealing the intriguing interplay of astrophysical, geological, and atmospheric factors that keep our neighboring planet cold.