Get free monthly e-alerts to the latest Stanford Earth Matters stories
Editor's picks: Top 10 stories of 2018
From revelations about the hidden messages in burbling lakes of lava to the staggering costs of runaway climate change, these 10 stories shed light on our planet and how we're changing it. They include our editor's picks and some our best-read stories for the year.
Scientific basis for EPA's endangerment finding is stronger than ever
Stanford researchers along with scholars across the country find the evidence for greenhouse gases endangering human health and welfare is even more significant than previously thought.
Q&A: What should we do with nuclear waste?
Nuclear security expert Rod Ewing discusses new recommendations for solving the U.S. nuclear waste problem, why conventional risk assessments don’t go far enough and what makes this challenge more difficult than putting a man on the moon.
Living with air pollution
Polluted air is the norm for many people around the world. Globally, long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths.
What do the midterm results mean for environmental policy?
The recent midterm elections could have far-reaching implications for the direction of federal- and state-level environment and energy policy. Stanford experts discuss ways forward, lessons learned and more.
How will San Francisco's skyscrapers fare after the next Big One?
Stanford civil engineers are working with the city to assess high-rise safety and mitigate any disruption, downtime or lost economic activity should downtown buildings be damaged.
A path to affordable, effective conservation
A new study supports the long-debated idea that all species – even highly mobile animals – are clustered together in geographically unique areas, and opens a path to better protection of little-known species.
Climate change, overharvesting may doom a pricey parasite
Stanford researchers show how warmer winters and booming demand for one of the world’s most expensive medicinal species may hurt ecosystems and communities in the Himalayas.
Home on the range: Integrating wildlife and livestock
A study of more than 800,000 acres of privately owned land in Kenya suggests that humans and their livestock can, in the right circumstances, share territory with zebras, giraffes, elephants and other wild mammals – to the benefit of all.
The impact of climate change on human behavior
Obscured behind better-known impacts of climate change lies the possibility of more wars, higher crime rates and greater infant mortality.
Can digital incentives help alleviate traffic?
Researchers are reducing traffic congestion and commute times using networks that gently nudge people toward better travel habits.
California's vehicle emissions fight continues a 50-year struggle
California’s resistance to federal plans loosening vehicle emissions standards is nothing new. Over the decades, the state has fought repeatedly to stay in the forefront of pollution controls.
How machine learning can aid environmental monitoring
Cash-strapped environmental regulators have a powerful and cheap new weapon. New research suggests machine learning methods more than double the number of violations detected.
After the Big One: Understanding aftershock risk
Geophysicist Gregory Beroza discusses the culprits behind destructive aftershocks and why scientists are harnessing artificial intelligence to gain new insights into earthquake risks.
Do plastic straws really make a difference?
Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change.
Cash, carbon, crude: How to make oil fields bury emissions
A new analysis looks at what it would take for oil companies to start pumping millions of tons of carbon dioxide into their wells to boost crude production – and what it would mean for the climate.
Hurricane Florence: The science behind the storm
Atmospheric scientist Morgan O’Neill discusses what’s driving Florence, why it’s unusual, and how it could be connected to climate change and other storms brewing in the Atlantic.
Q&A: How does climate change affect human health?
Stanford experts discuss the linkages between climate change and health, an area that will be a focus of Stanford-led events at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.
Transparency may improve U.S. home buyout programs
New research finds government buyouts of homes in floodplains have often lacked transparency. This could deter residents from participating in managed retreat, one of the main strategies for adapting to areas becoming more flood-prone, Stanford researcher suggests.