By Jason A. Higgins, Virginia Tech | – During a 13-month stint in Iraq that began in 2006, Heath Robinson served as a medic with the Ohio National Guard. Like thousands of others soldiers stationed there, he was routinely exposed to toxic smoke emanating from what are known as burn pits. Located near military bases, […]
Next US energy boom could be wind power in the Gulf of Mexico
By Michael E. Webber, University of Texas at Austin and Hugh Daigle, University of Texas at Austin | – With passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains US$370 billion for climate and energy programs, policy experts are forecasting a big expansion in clean electricity generation. One source that’s poised for growth is offshore wind […]
How displaced Syrians effectively navigated ‘border frictions’ in Lebanon and Turkey
By Suzan Ilcan, University of Waterloo and Secil Dagtas, University of Waterloo | – The Syrian conflict began in early March 2011 on the heels of the Arab Spring as pro-democracy uprisings in Syria demanded regime change and political reform. The conflict transformed into a war. More than 13 million people have either escaped the […]
Faced with Extremism within its Ranks, US Military has clamped down on racist Speech, including Retweets and Likes
By Dwight Stirling, University of Southern California | – Less than a month after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin took the extraordinary step of pausing all operations for 24 hours to “address extremism in the ranks.” Pentagon officials had been shaken by service members’ prominent […]
Afghan Women are refusing to remain Silent One Year after the Taliban Takeover
By Homa Hoodfar, Concordia University and Mona Tajali, Agnes Scott College | – (The Conversation) – On Aug. 15, it will be a year since the Taliban’s forceful takeover of Afghanistan for a second time. In the past year, we have witnessed a rapid return to the religious conservative rule and violation of women’s rights […]
The World’s biggest Ice Sheet is more vulnerable to Global Warming than Scientists previously Thought
By Chris Stokes, Durham University and Guy Paxman, Durham University | – The eastern two thirds of Antarctica is covered by an ice sheet so large that if it melted the sea would rise by 52 metres [~yards]. Most scientists had once thought this ice sheet was largely invulnerable to climate change, but not any […]
Arctic is warming nearly four Times faster than the rest of the World – New Research
By Jonathan Bamber, University of Bristol | – The Earth is approximately 1.1℃ warmer than it was at the start of the industrial revolution. That warming has not been uniform, with some regions warming at a far greater pace. One such region is the Arctic. A new study shows that the Arctic has warmed nearly […]
Tech will Adapt to Goals Set for it: Offshore Wind Capacity doubles as cost cut in Half
Boosting renewable energy use can happen quickly – and reduce harm to low-income people if done thoughtfully By Erin Baker, UMass Amherst | – With many nations making efforts to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, SciLine interviewed Erin Baker, a professor of industrial engineering and operations at UMass Amherst. Baker discussed the technological, […]
Gaza: Amid death and destruction, the latest conflict highlights the depths of its humanitarian crisis
By Amy Maguire, University of Newcastle | – Israel launched multiple air strikes on Gaza on August 5, in another eruption of open warfare between Israel and Palestinian militants. The latest attacks come just over a year after hundreds were killed in an intense period of conflict in the territory. Israel announced its missile strikes […]