Scientists report that burning all of the Earth’s #fossilfuels releases #carbon and melts the Antarctic ice shelf, submerging coastal regions worldwide. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/12/burning-fossil-fuels-carbon-melt-antarctica-099/

Scientists reported that burning all of the Earth’s fossil fuels would initiate enough warming to melt the Antarctic ice shelf submerging coastal regions worldwide. New York City and Washington DC would be of the first to go under as sea levels rise.

ANTARCTICA IS NOT LIKE A MELTING ICE CUBE

An international team of scientists led by Ken Caldeira, a researcher at Stanford College’s Carnegie Institute of Science and Ricarda Winkelmann, a professor of climate systems analysis at Potsdam Institute For Climate Impact Research used an up-to-date model of an ice sheet to forecast the impact that fossil fuel burning would have on the Earth in upcoming centuries. Analysis showed that burning the world’s supply of coal, oil, and gas would emit enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to melt the Antarctic ice sheet and possibly parts of the larger East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Scientists say that the sea level could rise 100 feet over next 1000 years. They project that the total rise would be 200 feet once the sheet has fully melted. If you consider that Hurricane Katrina’s highest storm surge was 27.8 feet, these statistics are frightening to hear. London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and other coastal cities would be obliterated. This would also have catastrophic effects on the surrounding ecosystems.

PORTENTOUS FINDS OF THE CARBON STUDY

The study noted that while Antarctica has already begun to melt, the ice sheet’s future mass balance is unknown due to a combination of factors: future emissions of greenhouse gases; atmospheric warming; and oceanic warming that results from atmospheric warming.

Climate policy makers have determined a 2 degree Celsius increase as a target for global warming. According to scientists, if we stay within this target, sea levels will rise only a few meters, which would be manageable.

REDUCING THE WORLD’S CARBON FOOTPRINT

“Our findings show that if we do not want to melt Antarctica, we can’t keep taking fossil fuel carbon out of the ground and just dumping it into the atmosphere as CO2 like we’ve been doing,” Caldeira said.

Often, when we are warned about years-away dangers like the melting of Antarctica, we think, “Well, it’s not going to happen in my lifetime.” A handful of bumper sticker slogans about saving the planet could be inserted here. But let’s just end this discussion by being more mindful of our actions. Turn off the lights when you leave, drink from reusable water bottles instead of plastic, walk or ride a bike whenever possible, and recycle. These are easy, painless habits we can adopt in order to help reduce the world’s carbon footprint.

The research was presented in an article published by Science Advances.

---

 

DISTRACT YOUR ECOLOGICAL CONSCIENCE WITH MUSIO

https://youtu.be/MTuL0nLmBw8

Death By Carbon: Burning All Fossil Fuels Melt Antarctica

New Fuel Cells Coming To Your Nearest Computer(s) - http://clapway.com/2015/07/17/new-fuel-cells-coming-to-your-nearest-computers456/

Although fuel cells are often praised as the clean, green solution to the present’s energy crisis, we rarely hear what’s keeping them from coming into fully functional fruition. Fuel cells have shabby endurance. On a long enough timeline, the incinerating components used in today’s most advanced fuel cells decompose, slowing the chemical reaction required to convert liquid fuel into potent electricity. What’s worse is the fact that the most advanced technology available relies on micro-particles layered with chemicals required to activate the reaction, but the particles are so small that their surface area limits the amount of catalyst available from moment to moment.

WHY. SO. SERIOUS.

But recently a team of engineers from the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science created an alternate fuel cell catalyst system that relies on nanowires developed form a new kind of material which extends the duration of optimal performance at 2.4 times today’s technology’s ability. You may see their discovery displayed on the cover of ACS Nano’s April issue.

Two yale engineers named Jan Schroers and André Taylor created microscopic nanowires by adapting a new metal alloy called bulk metallic glass (BMG). Their theoretical uniquity is owed to their unusually high surface area, which is capable of holding a greater volume of the necessary catalyst. This increase in volume increases durability, too.

THIS DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL FUEL CELL MATERIAL

Up until this new method, carbon black was used to support platinum particles. Carbon black is relatively cheap and fairly conductive, but the platinum inside of the material is difficult to expose because of how the it’s absorbed. In addition, carbon black corrodes rather quickly.

“In order to produce more efficient fuel cells, you want to increase the active surface area of the catalyst, and you want your catalyst to last,” said Taylor.

HOW SMALL IS BULK METAL GLASS?

BMG Nanowires are only 13 nanometers (roughly 1/10,000 the diameter of a single human hair), which is one-third the size of carbon black particles. Additionally, nanowires’ being so long and exceptionally thin supplies them with a much greater surface area per unit of mass. To boot, instead of installing platinum post-material-hoc, the Yale engineers are able to incorporate platinum directly into the structure of the nanowire alloy, making the new material a synthetic marvel of customized functionality.

NANO-GEOMETRY IS A THING

Because of nanowires specific chemical makeup, the material can be molded into small rods and blown into complex and interesting shapes using a hot-press method.

PRELIMINARY TESTING

To date, Taylor’s tested the new catalyst system on alcohol-based fuel cells (e.g. ethanol and methanol), however we will soon see the new fuel cell system tested on versions applicable to such quotidian devices as laptop computers, cell phones and remote sensors.

“This is the introduction of a new class of materials that can be used as electrocatalysts,” added Taylor. “It’s a real step toward making fuel cells commercially viable and, ultimately, supplementing or replacing batteries in electronic devices.”

---

 

the nanoform will protect your most important data and preserve it forever.

New Fuel Cells Coming To Your Nearest Computer(s)