Coal Makes A Comeback Despite Natural Gas Abundance

Although America acclaims there is a positive transition towards natural gas, this year’s winter, the coldest in 30 years, has made Americans divert back to coal. This is primarily because the cold winter had made natural gas prices its highest level in four years, and coal's prices were more economically feasible. The sudden increase in cheap coal has led to US carbon emissions that are projected to rise after successfully decreasing emissions in both 2011 and 2012. While we continue to struggle to find ways to balance improving our environment without putting a toll on our economy, we look toward a better future of attaining a renewable resource world.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorensteffy/2014/02/14/coal-makes-a-comeback-despite-natural-gas-abundance/

Germany Plans to Raze Towns for Brown Coal and Cheap Energy

The world is at a serious risk as Germany, who is looked upon as the lead engineer for renewable energy, is relocating villages to create massive strip mines where they can extract Brown Coal for energy. Brown Coal was used as early as 1934 and lasted until the end of the Cold War, and has the lowest grade of coal with the highest carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt-hour produced. Now, Germany is pushing to have 80% of power as renewable energy by 2050 using subsidies such as solar and wind power, which make up roughly 25% of their electric power today (US is 12%). Experts believe Brown Coal mining is being used now because Germany’s energy revolution pursuit might not be going as planned, and there may be more coal needed to supply the demands. For example, Germany’s nuclear power industry will be shut down by 2022, and this decision was announced in 2002, but not fully agreed on until after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Although natural gas produces lower carbon dioxide emissions, through an economic standpoint, it is not feasible for Germany to use this because Brown Coal is significantly cheaper. However, it is estimated that Brown Coal supplies may run out in 10-15 years. Thus, it is essential for Germany and other countries to research for alternative renewable energy that will no longer harm to environment.

Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2014/02/140211-germany-plans-to-raze-towns-for-brown-coal/ 

Severe Drought Has U.S. West Fearing Worst

According to Ingram, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at Berkeley, California’s severe drought looks to be the worst drought the region has experienced in over 500 years. It is predicted that about forty-thousand people will run out of water within 60 to 120 days. If conditions continue to stay dry, state officials say they will bring trucks of drinking water to supply communities. These arid conditions have caused parched fields, starving livestock, and smog. While Western America has been known to lack water, officials continue to search for answers to supply water to inhabitants and farm fields, hoping that rain will soon replenish the land.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/us/severe-drought-has-us-west-fearing-worst.html?ref=science 

Return to Normal in Parts of West Virginia Is Marred by Distrust

In West Virginia, a coal cleaning chemical, MCHM, had contaminated the water and has forbidden thousands of West Virginians to drink or use any water. As a result, many have been forced to drink and wash with bottled water. However, even as the chemical has been diluted enough to be considered safe to drink, many West Virginians still will not drink the water. Their reasons primarily include fears of damage to the liver or kidneys, and interference with human metabolisms. Hopefully with time, the water will be able to dissolve the chemicals into small enough pieces where the chemicals will have no effect on humans.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/us/return-to-normal-in-parts-of-west-virginia-is-marred-by-distrust.html?ref=science

Bracing for Carp in Great Lakes, but Debating Their Presence

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, remnants of environmental DNA of the Asian carp have been discovered to have arrived in the Great Lakes. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material that is not directly from the fish, but from shedding of scales, gills, or waste products found from birds who have consumed this fish. This invasive species was first introduced from China to clean up algae-ridden fishponds in the Arkansas River in 1976. Since then, the carp has moved up the Mississippi River towards the Great Lakes. If these fish make it to the lakes, it can cause large problems. The carp reproduces very quickly and can eat as much as 10 percent of its own weight in a day. Thus, these fish can lead to the possibility of wiping out entire ecosystems. Therefore, environmentalists must act quickly before this non-native species eliminates the entire region.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/us/bracing-for-carp-in-great-lakes-but-debating-their-presence.html?ref=science&_r=0

What Happens in the Brain After a Concussion

New scientific studies have shown what specifically happens to the brain when it is impacted by a concussion. For a long time, scientists have had great difficulty with observing the brain because of the thickness of the skull. Similarily, if one were to open the skull, the readings would no longer be accurate. But the scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have been able to uncover better observations of the brain simply by shaving the skull so that it is thin enough for microscopic lenses to be able to look through it. These new discoveries have found that brain damage occurs when the membranes surrounding the brain are destroyed, and specialized immune cells are released to the brain. However, these cells take a long time to reach the brain, and many brain cells die off by the time the cells reach the brain. Through this study, scientists may be able to understand concussions better, and be better prepared to aid someone who has one.
Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/what-happens-in-the-brain-after-a-concussion/?ref=science&_r=0

BILLIONS AND BILLIONS

We have no exact prediction about the future of our population growth. People have made guesses, but have never been correct. Thomas Malthus in the 1800s, for example, believed the human population will be always kept in check by war, pestilence, or “inevitable famine,” when the population was at one billion. Then in 1968, Paul Ehrlich published “The Population Bomb,” believing that the population will reduce significantly due to starvation. The population stood at 3.5 million at this time. However, he was wrong again. The population continued to skyrocket, and today we have over 7 billion people living on this planet. The UN believes that the estimate of humans in this world will level off at around 9 billion in 2050. Yet, we are still unsure if this is accurate enough. While we see signs in some developed countries slowing down rates of growth, some developing countries are still rising in numbers, contributing to more people on the planet.

source: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/10/24/111024taco_talk_kolbert