This is the first of a three-part series on common questions about climate change: This first article will address the question of whether the climate really changing. Subsequent articles will look more closely at human's role in climate change and the effects can we expect from climate change. It's no secret that there's a crisis
They smell, they're muddy and hard to cross, and let's be honest, they just don't have the charm of a nice sandy beach. Wetlands certainly do not rank very high in the aesthetics category, but the value of an ecosystem cannot be measured in beauty alone. For one thing, many ecosystems offer what are called
It's 1974: the first published peer-reviewed article claiming that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are damaging the stratospheric ozone layer hits the news. CFCs, once used commonly in aerosol cans, fire extinguishers, refrigerators, and air conditioners, were responsible for causing depletion of the ozone layer. The paper created such a national stir that ozone depletion is still a
For decades millions of visitors wound their way underneath the towering skeletons of Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops at Washington, D.C.'s Museum of Natural History. Now, the National Fossil Hall has closed as curators work on a revamped exhibition, tentatively titled “Deep Time,†set to open in 2019. Alongside the dinosaur skeletons that have long dominated
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, illustrator, ecologist, and native Orleanian Uma Nagendra takes a look at what we’ve learned since Katrina about how wetlands mitigate the devastating impacts of hurricanes. Uma Nagendra is a native New Orleanian now living in Athens, GA. She has been interested in natural disturbances since Katrina, and
It is a Sunday morning. You are sitting on the front porch, sipping from a cup of coffee, and reading the day's paper. You hear a rustle, look up, and see your dog chasing a squirrel away from his nut-burying chores; you chuckle. Ah, the good life! While it may not be at the forefront
There's always that one ultra clingy couple—you know the ones I'm talking about. The two members are practically attached at the hip, they refer to themselves as a single unit, and you honestly can't remember if you've ever seen them apart. Like two modern characters from a Shakespeare play, sometimes it seems like they would
Hollywood has unleashed unrealistic natural disaster movies in the past. But how will climate change actually alter the nature of weather related disasters?
by Uma Nagendra, Athens Science CafeÌ Ah, summer in the American South: the air is abuzz with cicadas, air conditioning, and aerosol bugspray. For many, it's a season equally beloved and reviled. Everyone seems to have their favorite griping point: the relentless humidity, the constant threat of mosquitoes, or my personal nemesis—poison ivy. Although poison
by Alex Pilote, Athens Science Café When discussing string instruments, the name Stradivarius is synonymous with excellence and superior craftsmanship. But why is this? Are the violins bearing this name crafted with a more skilled hand? Do they outperform all others? Or perhaps there's a scientific explanation behind this? The question of the superior reputation
by Suzie Henderson, Athens Science Café What is an ecosystem engineer? Every ecosystem, even arctic ice [2], is subject to the influence of ecosystem engineers [3]. An ecosystem engineer alters habitat and consequently changes resource availability to other organisms [2]. Even though all organisms play a role in resource cycling to varying degrees, not all
Written and Illustrated by Uma Nagendra Uma Nagendra is a PhD Candidate at the University of Georgia and became interested in studying natural disasters since Hurricane Katrina hit her hometown of New Orleans. She enjoys finding creative ways to demonstrate complicated ecological concepts—preferably if it involves running around outside or drawing pictures. When not crawling over downed
