More Than Gore
Don't lose the science in the hoopla.
Molly Webster • October 20, 2007
Al Gore’s name is all over the headlines. Did you know he won a Nobel? But silently standing next to him is an entire body of world-renowned scientists who make up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And whether you like the man at the center of the media storm, or his politics, you should at least know what this IPCC thing is all about — either to join in the discussion or just to be ‘cool’.
Luckily, here at Scienceline, we brought you extensive coverage of the IPCC findings: what they mean, the science that stands behind them, and the controversies that surround them — all to make you a little smarter. Not only that, but we’ve got stories that go beyond the Panel: wine, frozen viruses, acidic oceans and dengue fever.
There’s always a fear that with achievement comes apathy; a feeling that with that last touchdown we must have won the game. But, it’d be lazy, no matter where your politics lie, to stop learning about the issue. So let Scienceline help you join in the chatter.
Links to our IPCC Report coverage:
Are Polar Bears Victims of the New Cold War?
Climate change may be affecting the bears’ habitat.
by Emily V. Driscoll
Growing Grain in a Warming World
Some scientists are rethinking the positive effects global warming may have on agriculture.
by Kristin Elise Phillips
Polyp Apocalypse
As atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves into increasingly acidic oceans, vibrant coral hamlets are fading into ghost towns.
by Morgen E. Peck
Climate Modeling That Works
Why it’s easier to predict the next 20 years of warming than this weekend’s weather.
by Joshua J. Romero
Taking the Climate’s Temperature
How scientists measure the sensitivity of our climate.
by Jeremy Hsu
Polar Regions Lose Their Shine
Melting snow and ice allow global warming to gain more ground.
by Peter Sergo
A New Twist on Tree Rings
Scientists turn to tree rings to learn more about our climate’s history.
by Emily V. Driscoll
The World’s Hottest Super-Models
How scientists are using supercomputers to model climate change.
by Carolyn T. Kormann
The Other Greenhouse Gas
An often ignored greenhouse gas makes predicting climate even more uncertain.
by Meredith Knight
Stronger Storms
The international body on climate change predicts stronger hurricanes due to global warming.
by Lindsey Bewley
Worlds Of Possibility
A look at the emissions scenarios climate scientists use to predict the future.
by Erica Westly
Permanent Summer
Extreme heat caused by global warming could be deadly.
by Ben Leach
The Iceflow Cometh
How quickly will global warming change sea level?
by Kristin Elise Phillips
Tiny Particles, Big Consequences?
Scientists are still guessing when it comes to aerosols role in climate change.
by Rachele Cooper
Seeds On Lockdown
How a remote ‘doomsday’ vault is preserving the planet’s seeds.
by Emily V. Driscoll
Soggy Slopes
Global warming may melt winter tourism.
by Jennifer Moser
Our Waifish Wetlands
Sediment starved deltas may prove too frail to withstand warming, rising oceans.
by Jeremy Hsu
Saltwater Invasion
Climate change is causing the oceans to flow further inland, putting pressure on coastal areas to adapt.
by Molly Webster
A Dry Horizon for the Amazon
Climate changes are pushing rain forests to the point of no return.
by Kristin Elise Phillips
The Grape Migration
How long can grapes sweat out great vintages?
by Peter Sergo
Spring Is Here, But It’s Still January
Global warming already makes plants bloom earlier, what’s next?
by Meredith Knight