3.30
Katherine Unger Baillie
Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu
Earth and Environmental Science
Greener economy ‘not science fiction anymore’
Greener economy ‘not science fiction anymore’
A new book from Penn sociologist Daniel Aldana Cohen and colleagues describes four key facets of the Green New Deal and why they could become a reality in the not-too-distant future.
Ecuador’s vice president talks biodiversity protection
Ecuador’s vice president talks biodiversity protection
Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner spoke to a packed Perry World House about protecting the environment while balancing economic growth.
The many lives of charcoal
The many lives of charcoal
Catherine Nabukalu, an alumna of the Master in Environmental Studies program, worked with School of Arts and Sciences Professor Reto Gieré to track the charcoal supply chain through research in Nabukalu’s native Uganda.
Looking to mud to study how particles become sticky
Looking to mud to study how particles become sticky
A collaboration of geophysicists and fluid mechanics experts led to a fundamental new insight into how tiny ‘bridges’ help particles of all kinds form aggregates.
Philly water straight from the tap
Philly water straight from the tap
A collaborative city-wide campaign that included ImpactED and the Water Center at Penn helped spread the word that Philadelphia tap water is safe and healthy to drink.
Coral reef resilience
Coral reef resilience
With coral reefs under threat from climate change, marine biologist Katie Barott studies how some corals may prove resilient to warming temperatures and acidifying oceans.
Side gigs for good, part three
Side gigs for good, part three
The final 2019 installment in our series highlighting impactful work Penn faculty and staff do.
A missing link in haze formation
A missing link in haze formation
Hazy days don’t just block the view; they mean the air contains particulate matter that can compromise human health. Chemists have discovered a way that alcohols can balance out the formation of new particles, a finding that could improve the accuracy of air-quality forecasts.
Immersive stories to spur action on climate
Immersive stories to spur action on climate
Organized by the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities (PPEH), a two-day festival, “Environmental Storytelling and Virtual Reality” begins Friday, and will explore how virtual reality and other immersive storytelling might inspire action on climate change.
A second life for leaves
A second life for leaves
Taking a scientific approach to managing campus land, Facilities and Real Estate Services is partnering with soil scientists and ecologists to study how mulching plots with leaves fares for soil health and biodiversity.
Media Contact
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
When it comes to coronavirus, air pollution may put marginalized communities in danger
Anil Vachani of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the combined effects of air pollution and coronavirus on marginalized communities. “We’re certainly recognizing that exposure to chronic air pollution results in a number of adverse health outcomes which are increasingly recognized. It may even contribute to a whole host of other illnesses that we’re now understanding the links to, to poor air quality and air pollution,” he said.
FULL STORY →
The Hill
R&D, not Greenland, can solve our rare earth problem
Research into rare earth metals by Eric Schelter, Patrick Carroll, Ph.D. student Justin Bogart, and alumnus Connor Lippincott of the School of Arts and Sciences was cited.
FULL STORY →
Atlas Obscura
The secret lives of sand dunes
Douglas Jerolmack of the School of Arts and Sciences spoke about sediment transport and sand dunes, which move in response to temperature and time and can travel several feet each year.
FULL STORY →
Smithsonian Magazine
If Thanos actually wiped out half of all life, how would Earth fare in the aftermath?
Lauren Sallan of the School of Arts and Sciences discussed the hypothetical results of a mass-extinction event, like the one depicted in “The Avengers” movie franchise. “I think humans would figure out a way to [survive], provided that not all of the ecosystems collapse,” said Sallan.
FULL STORY →
Boston Globe
Boxes, pouches, cartons, and envelopes — oh my!
Eric Orts of the Wharton School spoke about the environmental impact of packaging waste. “Lots of it will still go into a landfill, for no really good reason,” said Orts. “If you look at something like the distribution system of Amazon, it doesn’t seem that hard to shift this.”
FULL STORY →
WHYY (Philadelphia)
Philly affirms commitment to slashing emissions as study shows global increase
Christine Simeone of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy spoke about cities and states’ continued efforts in the fight against climate change. “In the absence of a national strategy, the state and local strategies actually become much more important,” said Simeone.
FULL STORY →