A Random Walk in Science
I will discuss my random walk in science, from my graduate student on postdoctoral years testing the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow theory of electro-weak forces, and then to energy transfer in condensed matter systems, the spectroscopy of positronium, laser....
More details | Watch nowContinental loss: the quest to determine Antarctica’s contribution to sea-level change
For over 50 years scientists have been working to understand Antarctica’s contribution to sea level. For much of this time there has even been disagreement about if this massive ice sheet is growing or shrinking. In 2012, advances in data analysis....
More details | Watch nowCan nanocrystals stop the climate change?
Fossil resources are limited and their CO2 emission strongly contributes to the global warming which is mainly responsible for the increasing appearance of natural catastrophes. Renewable biomass which can be converted into various forms of usable en....
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We are using the planet's fossil fuel resources in a time which is very short compared to that of human evolution. In the same process we are changing the planet's climate and sea level, threatening the future of large segments of the global populat....
More details | Watch nowCanoeing in the Arctic, a Scientist’s Perspective
As scientists, our livelihoods are supported by teaching and research, but we also have the opportunity to make observations beyond our usual confines and share these with non-scientific citizens. Growing up in my native state of Minnesota, I have al....
More details | Watch nowAtmosphere Climate and Chemistry in the Anthropocene
Despite their relatively small mass, 10-5% of the earth biosphere as a whole, generations of ambitious 'homo sapiens' have already played a major and increasing role in changing basic properties of the atmosphere and the earth's surface. Human activ....
More details | Watch nowGreenhouse Gases and Climate Change
The 'greenhouse gases (GHG)' intercept a fraction of outgoing terrestrial infrared radiation, creating the natural greenhouse effect which warmed the atmosphere by approximately 32 Celsius at the beginning of the 20th Century. The activities of manki....
More details | Watch nowAtmospheric Chemistry and Climate in the Anthropocene
Despite their relatively small mass, 10% of the earth biosphere as a whole, generations of ambitious ‘homo sapiens’ have already played a major and increasing role in changing basic properties of the atmosphere and the earth’s surface. Human ....
More details | Watch nowThe Science and Policy of Climate Change
Climate change is the most serious environmental challenge facing society in the 21st century. The basic science is clear: the International Panel on Climate Change concluded that there is more than 90% probability that human activities are causing....
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Climate change represents one of the most serious challenges that society is facing in this century. It is important for humanity to limit its interference with the climate system by profoundly modifying activities such as burning fossil fuels and ....
More details | Watch nowThe Energy and Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities
Science and technology has profoundly transformed the world. After giving a few historical examples, beginning with the industrial revolution, I will discuss the challenges, opportunities and necessity for the world to transition to a sustainable e....
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