It’s often assumed that all soil organic carbon ultimately derives from recent vegetation, but researchers argue that carbon inherited from parent rocks can be important and deserves more focus.
fossil fuels
Real Climate Solutions Are Beneath Us
It’s time to accept that durable subsurface carbon storage, along with emissions reductions, must be part of the plan to mitigate the effects of climate change—and geoscience must play a central role.
Glaciers Offer Clues into the Path of Fossil Fuel Pollution
New research traces the origin of carbon deposited from the atmosphere onto glaciers.
Executive Order Seeks to Revive “America’s Beautiful, Clean Coal Industry”
President Trump signed an executive order to drastically reduce restrictions on domestic coal production on 8 April. It lays out plans to enable coal mining on federal lands, identify and revise existing regulations and policies that seek to transition the country away from coal production, and identify regions where “coal-powered infrastructure” can be used to support artificial intelligence data centers.
Clumped CO Isotopes – New Tracers for Atmospheric Chemistry
A new study reports the first measurements of 13C18O in atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) and show their variations reflect chemical ‘aging’ consistent with predicted kinetic isotope effects.
Biogenic Sources Still Dominate Organic Carbon Aerosol in Europe
Scientists use radiocarbon measurements from Alpine ice to quantify present and past anthropogenic versus biogenic sources of organic carbon aerosols in the European atmosphere.
Super Tuesday Lays Out Election’s Environmental Stakes
U.S. elections could pull the country back from several environmental tipping points—or push it beyond them. Scientists are urging people to seek climate action beyond the ballot.
Trump, Haley Tell Voters: Economic Prosperity Requires Fossil Fuels
Both Republican front-runners promise a better economy via oil and gas production.
The Climate Crisis Briefly Crashes the New Hampshire GOP Primary
Republican candidates repeated earlier promises to expand domestic fossil fuel production and fight programs that promote race- and gender-based equity in schools.
Drought Leads to More Fossil Fuel Emissions
Hydropower lost in one area is often replaced by fossil fuel power produced elsewhere—and renewable energy sources may struggle to meet electricity demands caused by more frequent dry spells.