Congo peat swamps store three years of global carbon emissions – imminent oil drilling could release it

Peat is partially decomposed plant matter that has accumulated over thousands of years.

Simon Lewis, Professor of Global Change Science at University of Leeds and, UCL • conversation
July 21, 2022 • ~9 min

Tiny treetop flowers foster incredible beetle biodiversity

In the Amazon, beetles and flowering trees have developed a tight bond. Hundreds of beetle species thrive off of and pollinate blossoms, helping to maintain some of the highest biodiversity on Earth.

Caroline S. Chaboo, Adjunct Professor in Insect Systematics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln • conversation
Dec. 3, 2020 • ~6 min

A massive Saharan dust plume is moving into the southeast US, bringing technicolor sunsets and suppressing tropical storms

From June through October, it's not unusual for huge Saharan dust plumes to blow across the Atlantic. They can darken skies but also bring calmer weather and electric sunsets. Here's how they form.

Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University • conversation
June 25, 2020 • ~7 min

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