What It’s Like to Social Distance at Sea. This is a fascinating glimpse into life on board the only oceangoing research ship to sail this spring: a 24-scientist team reduced to just three researchers, empty berths, empty chairs at empty tables, and—even at sea—Zoom meetings. Data are being collected, but we’re still losing something very valuable: “With limited people allowed on board, how will graduate students receive field training?”
—Kimberly Cartier, Staff Writer
The Geosciences Community Needs to Be More Diverse and Inclusive. “Almost 90 percent of geoscience doctoral degrees in the United States are awarded to people who are white,” but geoscience issues broadly affect communities around the world. We’re not going to be able to fix those problems unless we can fix the diversity problem in these fields. AGU president Robin Bell and chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (and Eos Science Adviser) Lisa White offer some paths to solutions in this opinion for Scientific American.
—Heather Goss, Editor in Chief
What Data Do Cities Like Orlando Need to Prepare for Climate Migrants? In 2017, the extreme flooding and damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria sent a huge wave of evacuees—most from coastal Florida and Puerto Rico—to communities in Florida’s interior. In Orlando, the influx of evacuees “gave city managers a glimpse into a future for which they need to prepare.” This future, in which massive numbers of people will seek new homes because of hazards exacerbated by climate change like increased flooding or extreme heat, will likely confront many cities and towns in the United States and around the world in the coming years and decades. This excellent piece offers a window on the difficult experience of evacuees in 2017 and delves into how cities and scientists are trying to adapt to and prepare for climate-related migrations.
—Timothy Oleson, Science Editor
Milan Announces Ambitious Scheme to Reduce Car Use After Lockdown.
Italy’s northern city of Milan is in one of Europe’s most polluted regions, but since the coronavirus lockdown, air pollution has plummeted, thanks to fewer cars on the roads. The city hopes to keep it that way: Officials unveiled a bold new plan in April to reimagine their roadways. They’ll transform 22 miles of streets into walking and cycling spaces over the summer. The move will give more room for pedestrians and cyclists, and as journalist Laura Laker notes, the rest of the world will be watching to see how Milan’s makeover goes. Just last week, Seattle followed suit.
—Jenessa Duncombe, Staff Writer
The True Story of the White Island Eruption. Like the best Outside writing, this spectacular coverage of New Zealand’s volcanic tragedy is both thrilling and measured. I don’t know how I missed it in April, but the account is no less relevant and fascinating today.
—Caryl-Sue, Managing Editor
Citation:
(2020), This week: Social distancing at sea, climate migration on land, Eos, 101, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EO144189. Published on 15 May 2020.
Text © 2020. AGU. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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