Human Activity and Air Quality
Scientist and climate change expert Michael Oppenheimer traces the history of air pollution, beginning with Roman times and moving forward to the post-War period. He also discusses the origins of interest in and awareness of global warming.
Look Out Below: Sea Level and Global Warming
The precise role that global warming plays in determining sea level is a subject of considerable controversy. But many scientists believe there is a link.
Air: China's Impact on Global Air Quality
China is in a period of rapid economic development. Its size, both in land mass and human population, and the fact that it uses primarily coal to fuel its industrialization, make for a current air pollution problem and the potential for enormous glo...
The Ocean's Memory: Sediments and Past Climate
As sediments get laid down, they carry with them a record of the kind of environment in which they were formed. Scientists can read that record and learn valuable information about past climate and temperature change.
Global Warming: Evidence and Impact
Scientist and climate change expert Michael Oppenheimer discusses the evidence confirming global warming and the expected impact, which he predicts will be enormous.
Ecology: Biosphere 2: The Effects of El Nino
When an El Niño event occurred during the two year Biosphere experiment, it created surprising and unforeseen problems with food production. The unusually cloudy and rainy conditions resulted in drastically reduced crop yields. Many scientists beli...
Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change
Scientist and climate change expert Michael Oppenheimer discusses research into the relationship between climate change and carbon dioxide, beginning with computer models in the late 1950's, through the analysis of ice cores over the subsequent thir...
Impact of Acid Rain and Climate Change on Ecosystems
Scientist and climate change expert Michael Oppenheimer talks about the consequences of acid rain in the lakes of southeast Canada and many states in the northeastern United States. "It leeches toxic metals, like aluminums, from the soils," Dr. Oppe...
Dirty Water: Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Many scientists are convinced that there is a connection between global climate change and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Those who believe that global warming is a real and serious problem often cite sea level rise as one reason ...
Dirty Water: Marine Absorption of Carbon Dioxide
Many scientists believe that the greenhouse gas problem would be far worse today if the ocean didn't absorb as much carbon dioxide as it does. Some in the scientific community are looking into the feasibility of increasing the amount of carbon dioxi...