The Force of Law: The Long Arm of Environmental Law
The challenge of maintaining environmental integrity has gone beyond regional and national concerns; it is an international challenge. Consistent environmental policies and enforcement are necessary at an international level.
Dirty Water: Oceanic Clues About Climate Change
Many scientists believe they can better understand today's climate patterns by comparing them to those from the past. One way to do this is by examining ancient sediment samples.
Deep Connections: Deep Ocean Circulation and Global Climate
Some scientists are concerned that just as thermohaline circulation has changed significantly over time, it could change again and possibly cause abrupt climate change in both the United States and Europe.
Global Warming and Sea Level Change
Renowned oceanographer and geophysicist Walter Munk talks about the relationship between global warming and sea level change. Professor Munk points out that, contrary to popular belief, the melting of floating ice does not change sea level. It is th...
Using Sound to Measure Ocean Warming
Renowned oceanographer and geophysicist Walter Munk talks about efforts to measure ocean warming through the use of sound--a process known as dark acoustic thermometry. Professor Munk notes that since the speed of sound increases in the ocean with t...
The Heard Island Test and Climate Change
Renowned oceanographer and geophysicist Walter Munk talks about efforts to measure ocean warming through sound in a test done near Heard Island, an area considered unique because sound emanating from that point can theoretically reach every ocean ba...
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.
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...