China-based emissions of three potent climate-warming greenhouse gases spiked in past decade
Two studies pinpoint their likely industrial sources and mitigation opportunities.
Department
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Q&A: Helping young readers explore curiosity about rocks through discovery and play
“All the Rocks We Love” is a new picture book by MIT Professor Taylor Perron and Lisa Varchol Perron.
Q&A: What past environmental success can teach us about solving the climate crisis
In a new book, Professor Susan Solomon uses previous environmental successes as a source of hope and guidance for mitigating climate change.
Study finds health risks in switching ships from diesel to ammonia fuel
Ammonia could be a nearly carbon-free maritime fuel, but without new emissions regulations, its impact on air quality could significantly impact human health.
Study: Weaker ocean circulation could enhance CO2 buildup in the atmosphere
New findings challenge current thinking on the ocean’s role in storing carbon.
Study: Titan’s lakes may be shaped by waves
MIT researchers find wave activity on Saturn’s largest moon may be strong enough to erode the coastlines of lakes and seas.
Nancy Kanwisher, Robert Langer, and Sara Seager named Kavli Prize Laureates
MIT scientists honored in each of the three Kavli Prize categories: neuroscience, nanoscience, and astrophysics, respectively.
Making climate models relevant for local decision-makers
A new downscaling method leverages machine learning to speed up climate model simulations at finer resolutions, making them usable on local levels.
Microscopic defects in ice influence how massive glaciers flow, study shows
The findings should help scientists refine predictions of future sea-level rise.
Getting to systemic sustainability
At the 2024 Earth Day Colloquium, World Resource Institute President and CEO Ani Dasgupta says systemic changes in a handful of countries will be critical to meeting global emissions goals.
H2 underground
At the 2024 MIT Energy Iniative Spring Symposium, experts weighed whether hydrogen stored in the earth might be a practical energy source of the future.
Newly discovered Earth-sized planet may lack an atmosphere
Circling a cold, Jupiter-sized star, the new world could offer an unobstructed view of its surface composition and history.
Astronomers spot a giant planet that is as light as cotton candy
The new world is the second-lightest planet discovered to date.
Study: Heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes
The results suggest that climate may influence seismic activity.
MIT announces 2024 Bose Grants
The grants fund studies of clean hydrogen production, fetal health-sensing fabric, basalt architecture, and shark-based ocean monitoring.