What exactly is Global Warming? Well, the name explains it all. Global Warming is when the temperature worldwide increases every year, and recently it’s been increasing by around 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. You may think, oh, that’s not so bad, I wouldn’t mind if the winters were a little warmer, but if you think about it, the number .32 is only going to get bigger, and the planet is just going to get hotter and hotter. In 30 years, the planet is going to be around 1 degree hotter, and 1 degree can determine if an iceberg will continue to be frozen, or if it will melt.

We’ve already seen changes in the environment due to Global Warming. Due to the melting of ice, scientists have detected a rise in sea levels. Not only does the melted ice affect the environment, but it can and already has had deadly consequences for humans. In Russia, there was a dead reindeer carcass that had been preserved in the ice, but as the climate grew warmer, the ice encapsulating the reindeer thawed. This doesn’t sound dangerous, but trust me, it is. That reindeer happened to have died because of a deadly infection. The bacteria from this infection was preserved in the ice, so when the reindeer carcass was exposed, so was the bacteria. Thus, reintroducing a deadly virus back into the world. Countless people died of anthrax in Russia, all because of Global Warming. We’ve also seen heat waves that were fiercer than any we’ve seen in the past decade. With these heat waves, we also see forest fires, which can have a devastating impact on the environment and the ecosystems within it.

But what exactly is it that causes global warming? Well, one of the most well-known causes of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases. The use of fossil fuels as well as food production all emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide tends to trap heat. This means that when there is more carbon dioxide in our environment, there is more heat trapped in our atmosphere as well. All the extra heat that is being trapped in our atmosphere is causing the global temperature to increase, slowly but surely.

How can we limit the effects of global warming? This is the question that has been looming over scientists’ heads for decades. There is no easy solution because we still need to manufacture products and produce food. If there was a solution, it would be nearly impossible to fund. Any fix for global warming would be extremely pricey, and in the end, the people in today’s society aren’t willing to pay for something like this.

This lack of support doesn’t stop scientists from trying. A team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh has been experimenting with and designing different technology that has the potential to limit the effects of global warming and clean the air of excess carbon dioxide. The article Getting it to stick: Grabbing CO2 out of the air found on ScienceDaily explains how this group of researchers is working together to “stop” global warming.

Now things start to get more interesting. There is a technology called direct air capture which is used to remove carbon dioxide from the air. The only problem with this technology is that it’s not only good at capturing CO2. It tends to capture other gases in the air which can be a problem. The researchers at the University of Pittsburgh came up with a design that has a core and a shell. The shell on the outside lets in the carbon dioxide but deflects are prohibits pretty much any other gases from entering. The core inside the shell captures the CO2.

I found this super interesting because how can you only let in certain gases? How is it possible to only let in CO2? All the molecules are so small, that it’s incomprehensible how technology can deflect the tiniest particles. I hope that this technology is successful because it is upsetting to watch our planet fall apart. The only problem is, how are we going to get people to fund these projects? It’s crazy how much these projects cost, and I swear my heart stopped when I heard how much it would cost to maintain this technology.

Overall, I found this article fascinating, and it also opened up my eyes to new career possibilities. I can imagine myself working in a facility like the one at the University of Pittsburgh, and just thinking about working to solve these huge issues makes me excited. Hopefully, this new technology will be successful!