Tom Zeller reports for Forbes on the Climate Feedback project developed by post-doctoral researcher Emmanuel W. Vincent that allows users to select and critique portions of articles on climate change. “If a newspaper claims that something is based on science,” Vincent said, “we want to examine whether they are making their case on solid scientific ground.”
Scientific American reporter Mark Fischetti examines a new MIT study that found that raindrops can spread certain crop diseases. Fischetti explains that the research could be useful in helping farmers develop new techniques for preventing the spread of disease among crops.
CBS News reporter William Harwood discusses NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, which will measure moisture levels in soil around the world, with Prof. Dara Entekhabi. Entekhabi explains, “through measurements SMAP can make, we can test and improve models that we use for atmospheric weather prediction and climate change projections."
New research by Professor Daniel Rothman and postdoctoral associate Yossi Cohen has raised questions about the feasibility of carbon capture, reports Ken Silverstein for Forbes. The researchers found that “only a ‘small fraction’ of the carbon dioxide solidifies and turns into rock after it is injected 7,000 feet below the earth’s surface,” explains Silverstein.
MIT researchers have found that carbon sequestration may not be as effective at storing greenhouse gas emissions as originally thought, reports Christopher Martin for Bloomberg News. The researchers found that “much of the carbon dioxide will remain in its gaseous state, and may eventually escape into the atmosphere.”
Ari Daniel of Public Radio International reports on the Climate CoLab conference, run by the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, which brought together people from around the world to “crowdsource the problem of what to do about global climate change," says Prof. Tom Malone.
James Hamblin of The Atlantic reports on the new MIT study that shows implementing a cap on carbon emissions would result in health care savings. An economy-wide cap and trade program "would result in a net benefit of $125 billion in human health costs,” writes Hamblin.
Financial Times reporter Clive Cookson highlights the work of MIT researchers in identifying a new culprit for the Earth’s largest mass extinction. While volcanic activity did contribute to the extinction, Cookson reports, MIT researchers found the main cause was methane-producing microbes.
“These microbes of death were so small, that 1 billion of them could fit in a thimble-full of ocean sediment, and yet, they were almost responsible for killing off all the life on our planet,” writes Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Netburn about new research from MIT that indicates microbes may be responsible for the end-Permian mass extinction.
“A microbial feeding frenzy may have fueled the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history,” writes Tia Ghose for CBS News about new research by Professor Daniel Rothman and Gregory Fournier that suggests microbes may be responsible for the Earth’s largest mass extinction.
Washington Post reporter Fred Barbash highlights new MIT research that shows that a microbe called “Methanosarcina” triggered the largest mass extinction in Earth’s history.
Reporting for NPR’s Morning Edition, Christopher Joyce features new work by Professor Daniel Rothman that indicates the world’s largest mass extinction may have been caused by microbes.
MIT researchers have found evidence that methane-producing microbes may have triggered the largest mass extinction in Earth’s history, reports Will Dunham for Reuters.
Nature reporter Chelsea Ward reports that a team from MIT led by Professor Daniel Rothman has found that, “Methane-belching microbes may have been behind the 'Great Dying', a mass-extinction event that wiped out some 90% of all species on Earth about 252 million years ago.”
The Guardian highlights new research by Professor Daniel Rothman that suggests microbes may be responsible for the end-Permian extinction. As reported by The Guardian, “Analysis of geological carbon deposits reveals a significant boost in levels of carbon-containing gases – either carbon dioxide or methane – at the time of the mass extinction.”