Taxonomy term

carbon emissions

Carbon emissions spike when continents rift

The vast majority of Earth’s carbon is stored in the planet’s interior. This buried carbon is not isolated from the surface over geologic timescales, however; some of it is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and other gases when volcanic eruptions occur above subduction zones or island arcs.

19 Mar 2018

Volcanism spiked global temps during past hothouse

Roughly 56 million years ago, global temperatures rose 5 degrees Celsius within a few thousand years in an event called the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). Scientists have often attributed the relatively rapid warming of the PETM — frequently used as an analogue for understanding modern warming trends — to large-scale biogenic methane emissions from seafloor reservoirs. But in a new study, researchers tracking carbon and boron isotopes preserved in the shells of tiny marine creatures called foraminifera, or forams, question the conventional wisdom, instead pointing to a volcanic source for the carbon emitted during the PETM.

25 Dec 2017

Delusions of grandeur in building a low-carbon future

Traditional macroeconomic models provide an unstable foundation for decision-making when planning for a low-carbon future. To maximize our ability to achieve our future energy, climate and economic goals, economic modeling concepts must be improved.
25 Jul 2017

Ice (Re)Cap: December 2016

From Antarctica to the Arctic; from polar caps, permafrost and glaciers to ocean-rafted sea ice; and from burly bears to cold-loving microbes, fascinating science is found in every nook and crevasse of Earth’s cryosphere, and new findings are announced often. Here are a few of the latest updates.

09 Dec 2016