Eleven thousand seven hundred years ago, Earth exited the last major geological epoch—the Ice Age—entering a period of relative warmth and stability, called the Holocene. Researchers, however, believe that the planet is ready for a new term: The ‘Anthropocene,’ denoting a time during which humans drive substantial change to our[Read More…]
Tag: climate change
Divest from fossil fuels and end greenwashing—McGill needs climate action now
The past week has been marked by a heatwave sweeping across the country, with temperatures rising approximately ten degrees higher than the September average in Montreal. As McGill students walked to classes through the humid air, one thing was made clear: Even the most privileged are no longer spared from[Read More…]
Where nature meets technology: Machine learning as a tool for climate action
With the dangers of continued fossil fuel use and environmental mismanagement unfolding before our eyes in the form of intense heat waves, droughts, and wildfires, it’s obvious that dramatic, transformative action must be taken. Throughout the pessimistic debate about the effectiveness of climate change policy and methods of pollution mitigation,[Read More…]
As ice sheets melt, will Greenland mine?
While many are worried about large swaths of land disappearing under water as global sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets in the Arctic, Greenland finds itself with a different problem: Its coastline is growing. Scientists have observed that when Greenland’s ice melts, it runs down to the ocean,[Read More…]
A killer menu: How climate change is modifying orca diets
If you’re thinking of going killer whale watching this summer, you might have a harder time than usual catching a glimpse of those famous black-and-white tail flips. Climate change is driving killer whales north, further into the Arctic Circle, triggering a cascade of disturbances within the Arctic marine ecosystem. Scientists,[Read More…]
War: The enemy of air, land, and sea
On Feb. 24, Russian troops launched an illegal invasion of Ukraine that rapidly escalated into full-blown war. On televisions and on the front pages of newspapers, the world watched as families were split apart on crowded train platforms and cities were leveled by bomb blasts. Ukrainian civilians faced the harrowing[Read More…]
Between climate denial and climate anxiety
During their time occupying the Arts Building, Divest McGill screened movies and documentaries shining light on the climate emergency. As the chilling images of fires, floods, and famines flashed across screens, the air became heavy. Silence reigned, and only a few deep breaths disturbed it from time to time. It[Read More…]
Projecting global temperatures more accurately
Estimating global climate change with any degree of accuracy is no easy feat. Although climate models all agree that global temperatures are increasing, the rate and extent to which predictions differ leaves us with uncertainty. For example, it is unclear when the Earth will surpass key temperature thresholds, such as[Read More…]
‘Don’t Look Up’ is a bad joke with no punchline
With a laughably talented cast and a whopping $75-million budget, Netflix’s original film Don’t Look Up generates lofty expectations that it ultimately fails to meet. The film follows astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and Dr. Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio)’s attempt to warn the U.S. government and general public about a comet[Read More…]
Household energy efficiency segregated along racial lines in the U.S., study finds
As the climate crisis worsens, reducing carbon emissions has become one of the most pressing priorities to mitigate its effects. In the United States in 2020, the residential sector was responsible for approximately 20 per cent of total carbon emissions from energy consumption. Targeted housing policies that increase residential energy[Read More…]
