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Katherine Unger Baillie
Senior Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu
Earth and Environmental Science
Climate scientist Michael Mann makes a home at Penn
Climate scientist Michael Mann makes a home at Penn
Known for his “hockey stick” graph that hammered home the dramatic rise of the warming climate, the climate scientist is now making his mark on Penn’s campus, both through his science and his work on communicating the urgent need for action on the climate crisis.
At Penn Energy Week, a time to reflect on energy science, technology, and policy
At Penn Energy Week, a time to reflect on energy science, technology, and policy
Hosted by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, the third annual Energy Week, which runs March 20-24, offers events on decarbonization, careers in the energy sector, global energy security, and more.
Update of a local tree field guide offers ‘antidote for plant blindness’
Update of a local tree field guide offers ‘antidote for plant blindness’
A new edition of “Philadelphia Trees,” coauthored by former Morris Arboretum director Paul W. Meyer, Catriona Bull Briger, and Edward Sibley Barnard offers tips for identifying tree species and highlights some of the most notable trees in the region, including many on Penn’s campus.
Who, What, Why: Tess Kuracina tends to the ‘BioPond,’ a beloved campus oasis
Who, What, Why: Tess Kuracina tends to the ‘BioPond,’ a beloved campus oasis
As garden supervisor for the treasured green space formally known as the James G. Kaskey Memorial Park, Kuracina plans, plants, waters, and weeds, aiming to make it ‘more beautiful and special every year.’
From glacier ice, a wealth of scientific data
From glacier ice, a wealth of scientific data
Biogeochemist Jon Hawkings of the School of Arts & Sciences and his lab study glaciers to understand the cycling of elements through Earth’s waters, soils, and air in its coldest regions, with implications for climate change, ecosystem health, and more.
Turning carbon emissions into rocks
Turning carbon emissions into rocks
In Penn’s Clean Energy Conversions Lab, researcher Peter Psarras and colleagues are repurposing waste from industrial mines, storing carbon pulled from the atmosphere into newly formed rock.
What secrets might 2-million-year-old DNA hold?
What secrets might 2-million-year-old DNA hold?
Scientists from Denmark recently extracted and sequenced the oldest-ever DNA, from permafrost in Greenland, revealing a robust ecosystem of 135 species. Penn Today spoke with four faculty members about the potential power of ancient DNA.
People and places at Penn: Research
People and places at Penn: Research
From Charles Addams Fine Arts Hall to the Schuylkill River, four researchers share their science and their spaces.
At COP27, Penn showcased its diverse climate expertise on the world stage
At COP27, Penn showcased its diverse climate expertise on the world stage
More than 30 representatives from the University traveled to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for two weeks of negotiations at this year’s United Nations climate change conference.
Where does charcoal come from—and is it sustainable?
Where does charcoal come from—and is it sustainable?
Charcoal energizes everything from backyard barbecues to industrial metallurgy, but its environmental impact is worse than once thought. Research from the School of Arts & Sciences finds that policy changes could make charcoal more sustainable.
Media Contact
In the News
Associated Press
Scientists say climate change goosed New Zealand storm fury
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that climate models in general are insufficient to describe all of climate change’s impacts on extreme weather.
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The Washington Post
How this company plans to use Earth’s heat to cool the planet
Hélène Pilorgé of the School of Engineering and Applied Science outlines one of the main ways to pull CO2 out of the air, the “solid sorbent” method.
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Spotlight PA
Tracking Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s biggest campaign promises
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 is possible for Pennsylvania but will require Gov. Josh Shapiro to convince voters that legislative Republicans are blocking efforts to create a livable future.
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Associated Press
Tackling threat of mudslides in soaked California
Douglas Jerolmack of the School of Arts & Sciences says that debris basins can be costly, becoming overwhelmed by new landslides or mudslides that have been worsened by climate change.
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Smithsonian Magazine
Oceans break record for highest temperatures four years in a row
A co-authored study by Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences finds that the world’s oceans have hit their warmest temperatures on record for the fourth year in a row.
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Axios
Ocean heat content hits record high, a sign of global warming
Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that ocean-heat content continues to consistently set records every year, separate from surface warming factors like El Niño.
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