We all know what heat feels like, but what does it look like? Armed with disposable cameras, a group of seventh-graders in Phoenix set out to document the summer heat. (photo by Gissel Marquez)
Algae is the gunk that collects in your fish tank and makes you slip on rocks while crossing a stream. You probably think of algae as a nuisance, if you even bother to think of it at all. Milt Sommerfeld and Qiang Hu think of algae as one of the most useful things in existence. And they think about it every day.
When you think about islands, you probably think about Hawaii or Jamaica. You probably don’t think about Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix has all the sand of a beachside resort, but it is not surrounded by water. Still, Phoenix is a type of island. Scientists call it an “urban heat island.”
Scientists all over the world are working on ways to capture sunlight for human energy use. Some of them are trying to develop better solar cells. Some of them want to imitate photosynthesis, the process plants use to take energy from the sun. Wim Vermaas doesn’t believe in reinventing the wheel. A group of bacteria found the perfect way to take energy from the sun more than 2 billion years ago. He’s happy to let them continue doing the work.
When the temperature soars, we gravitate to green. How do plants keep the environment cool?
Will desert-dwelling Gila monsters have enough food and water as the climate changes?
You could fry an egg on the roads in Phoenix during the summer. Find out what makes pavement so hot.
We all know what heat feels like, but what does it look like? Armed with disposable cameras, a group of seventh-graders in Phoenix set out to document the summer heat. (photo by Gissel Marquez)
What is "P" and why is it so important to our health and our environment?
Earth Day is April 22! Learn how to make your daily life more eco-friendly.
