‘Tis the season to be reading!In a sweeping panoramic new book titled The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future, UCLA professor Laurence C. Smith delivers a well-written and […]
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“China is pouring another $7 billion into Brazil’s oil industry, reigniting fears of a global ‘land grab’ of natural resources.” The Independent on a rising China’s geopolitical strategies.
Investments in areas like alternative energy sources have a negative cost differential in the short run, even though they may pay off in 20 or 30 years. And what about […]
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In a series of posts over at Scientific American’s blog CrossCheck, John Horgan describes how several recent articles and books have prompted him to re-evaluate his views on nuclear energy. […]
“Many vital crops capture the sun’s energy in a surprisingly inefficient way. A borrowed trick or two could make them far more productive.” The New Scientist on improving photosynthesis.
Imagine everyone decided to stop producing fossil fuels tomorrow. Global warming thresholds calculated by climate change scientists would not be crossed. Danger lies in future production.
Most hot ideas and discoveries fade with time. But some scientific papers are genuine breakthroughs, whose importance only increases as the decades pass. This one, published in Science last week, […]
Greenwashing is like whitewashing. Whitewashing means covering up any black marks on something’s record to make it seem better than it really is. By the same token, greenwashing means making […]
Technology goliath IBM just released its top five predictions for the next five years. We agree with all of their sensible forecasts — with some additional thoughts. 1. Yes, You Too Can Be […]
Perhaps the most effective frame used by opponents of nuclear energy is that it is simply not “cost effective.” Not only is it wasteful, argue opponents, but government subsidies are […]
“Among the winners: computer screens that can bend, adjustable eyeglasses, a low-cost genetic test, an online marketplace for receivables and a new way to battle malware.”
Last week, John Holdren appeared for a 45 minute interview on NPR Science Friday with host Ira Flatow. Below the fold, I have pasted excerpts of his comments relative to […]
What’s a vision of the future of science journalism? Consider Yale Environment 360. The university and foundation-sponsored online magazine and social media site is updated daily and weekly, publishing feature […]
Following up on her testimony before Congress yesterday, MIT President Susan Hockfield writes in the Washington Post today that the U.S. needs a Manhattan Project-scale investment in renewable energy R&D. […]
The reality of high gas prices and the successful advertising blitz of the McCain team has helped redefine the nature and relevance of the economy in voters’ minds and in […]
On energy policy, all eyes turn to McCain.Earlier this week I spotlighted the unheard of 20-30 point shift since February in how Americans view what should be done about the […]
Think that America’s energy problems and high gas prices aren’t changing perceptions among independents, even among liberals? Think again. According to a new Pew survey, as many liberals (45%) as […]
Last month, design and innovation firm fuseproject introduced WattStation — a revolutionary electric vehicle charging station for public spaces, developed in partnership with GE. Leveraging the technology and its critical […]
Dear Friends and Supporters, On Sunday, November 12th in Racine, I will hold my 1000th Listening Session with the people of Wisconsin. Before reaching that milestone, I want you to […]
In conjunction with Earth Day, a number of major survey results have been released on global warming, energy, and the environment. The latest is a survey from Gallup that chronicles […]
“The ex-president gives a sense of day-to-day life in the Oval Office—and plays the blame game.” The L.A. Times reviews the diaries Carter wrote during his presidency.
Solar panels for the home and alternative fuel for transportation are two of the most widespread threads of innovation in sustainability, but they are rarely if ever discussed in parallel. […]
Earlier today, in response to Sheril Kirshenbaum’s query at Discover’s Intersection blog, I spotlighted the key influence of opinion-leaders on energy related behavior. As a follow up, let’s take a […]
Re-election campaigns distract U.S. presidents from their executive duties. Should we eliminate them in favor of longer terms?
Over at Discover magazine’s terrific Intersection blog, Sheril Kirshenbaum asks readers: “How might we shift public attitudes to be less wasteful and save energy on a massive scale?” A major […]
The Tea Party—with its flamboyant supporters and over-the-top rhetoric—makes good copy. It make such good copy that it sometimes gets more attention than its actual influence warrants. But give credit […]
Roughly 60% of Independents say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported easing restrictions on off-shore drilling, according to a recent Gallup survey (figure above). […]
Released just yesterday, Physics of the Future is my most ambitious book to date. Based on interviews with over three hundred of the world’s top scientists, who are already inventing the […]
In my latest Science and the Media web column at Skeptical Inquirer Online, I take a look at the current debate over re-investment in nuclear energy as a means to […]
Some volcanic news bits, including more eruptions from Barujari in Indonesia, how geothermal energy could save Iceland and the results of the next Volcano Profile poll.