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Earth and Environmental Science
What the EPA limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in water mean
What the EPA limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in water mean
Brianne Callahan of the Water Center explains the new regulations on PFAS, plus how they might affect consumer water bills, health, and more.
Understanding the Northeast earthquake
Understanding the Northeast earthquake
Last week, people in the Northeast experienced a rare earthquake that registered a magnitude of 4.8. Penn Today spoke with David Goldsby of the School of Arts & Sciences and Robert Carpick of the School of Engineering and Applied Science about the event.
Teaching doglike robots to walk on the moon’s dusty, icy surface
Teaching doglike robots to walk on the moon’s dusty, icy surface
Researchers from Penn are part of a NASA-funded multidisciplinary collaborative effort that’s teaching robots to navigate the extraterrestrial craters, like the moon and Mars.
Kathleen Morrison on biodiversity and climate change
Kathleen Morrison on biodiversity and climate change
The faculty director of the Environmental Innovations Initiative, her research spans anthropology, archaeology, and paleoecology, involving the study of historic climates and environments, with a focus on South Asia.
The soils beneath the solar fields
The soils beneath the solar fields
How do solar farms impact soil health? It’s a question that master’s student Hannah Winn is exploring at the central Pennsylvania site where solar energy production is helping Penn progress toward carbon neutrality.
COP28 takeaways
COP28 takeaways
Perry World House Fellows and Advisors Lolita Jackson, Stephen Hammer, and Wolfgang Blau offered their insights from the conference in a discussion last week, moderated by Perry World House Interim Director Michael Weisberg.
Climate change and atmospheric dynamics unveil future weather extremes
Climate change and atmospheric dynamics unveil future weather extremes
A collaborative team of researchers led by Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences have found the interplay of natural systems and human-induced climate change are setting the stage for more frequent and severe weather events.
The Endangered Species Act at 50
The Endangered Species Act at 50
Ahead of the anniversary, experts from four schools across the University share their thoughts on the landmark legislation.
Inclusive, ambitious research to meet the needs of a changing planet
Inclusive, ambitious research to meet the needs of a changing planet
Collaborative research communities supported by the Environmental Innovations Initiative are addressing issues related to climate action, stewardship of nature, and societal resilience.
Experts address ‘our changing environment’
Experts address ‘our changing environment’
Economist R. Jisung Park and political scientist Alice Xu address climate change in an event hosted by the School of Social Policy & Practice.
In the News
Associated Press
Here’s why experts don’t think cloud seeding played a role in Dubai’s downpour
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that many people blaming cloud seeding for Dubai storms are climate change deniers trying to divert attention from what’s really happening.
FULL STORY →
Salon.com
“Record-shattering” heat wave in Antarctica — yep, climate change is the culprit
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that persistent summer weather extremes like heat waves are becoming more common as people continue to warm the planet with carbon pollution.
FULL STORY →
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Scientists struggle to explain ‘really weird’ spike in world temperatures
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that tendencies to exaggerate climate science in favor of “doomist” narratives helps no one except the fossil fuel industry.
FULL STORY →
Vox.com
Spring is here very early. That’s not good
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that plant-flowering, tree-leafing, and egg-hatching are all markers associated with spring that are happening sooner.
FULL STORY →
The New York Times
We don’t have time for climate misinformation
In a co-written Op-Ed, Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that meaningful decarbonization in the U.S. is in jeopardy of being blocked or slowed if a significant portion of the electorate does not accept the basic scientific facts and implications of climate change.
FULL STORY →
NPR
A famous climate scientist is in court, with big stakes for attacks on science
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences is suing a right-wing author and a policy analyst for defamation against the “hockey stick” climate change graph.
FULL STORY →