Yay, another valuable use for recycled plastic bags! Instead of throwing away 100 billion of them a year, Americans might want to look into gassing up their SUVs with fuel made from the petroleum-based bags. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (go Illini!) say that plastic shopping bags can be converted into diesel, natural …
Read more “Plastic Bags Yield More Diesel, Using Less Energy, than Crude Oil”
Was the Franklin Expedition doomed by its badly canned food? Or did the men succumb to a combination of unfortunate factors? A new study asserts that all 129 British sailors on the fated expedition died from a “marvelously catastrophic” mix of causes—and lead poisoning was just one of them. Professors Keith Millar and Adrian Bowman …
Read more “New Study Questions Franklin Expedition Lead Poisoning Theory”
The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on January 22 that the Department of the Interior illegally sold offshore oil and gas leases in the Chukchi Sea, off the northwest coast of Alaska. The court found that the government had failed to adequately evaluate the impacts of drilling—and inevitable mishaps—in the Arctic environment. …
A current exhibit—that I wish I could see for myself—at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Wa. explores my favorite subject: the intersection of art, polar science and the history of exploration. Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art, 1775-2012, is on view through March 2. “First and foremost, this show is a tribute to …
NOAA released the annual Arctic Report Card in December, revealing that the climate was slightly cooler than the previous year—but that long-term climate warming and changes in the environment persist. The Arctic Report Card aggregates trends in the atmosphere, sea ice and ocean, marine ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems and the terrestrial cryosphere (i.e., ice on land). …
Read more “Arctic Report Card: Sixth-Warmest Year on Record”