Robert Boos
A kilogram just isn’t what it used to be — and it might never be again
All the metric scales in the world — from those at a Polish deli to the big ones at a South African junkyard — are ultimately calibrated against a 125-year-old chunk of metal in a vault on the outskirts of Paris. Its mass is the definition of a kilogram. There’s just one problem: That chunk of metal seems to be losing weight.
The $50 billion plan to save Louisiana’s wetlands
The state of Louisiana is disappearing at an incredible rate, and its sinking deltas threaten some of the nation’s crucial oil, gas and fisheries industries. But Louisiana has a “Hail Mary” plan to save it. Industry and government have created an unprecedented plan to save and rebuild these wetlands over the next 50 years — and say failure is not an option.
How will the Pacific Northwest change when its glaciers are gone?
Glaciers are key contributors to drinking water supplies, hydropower generation and salmon survival in the Pacific Northwest. Scientists aren’t sure exactly when the glaciers will disappear. It could be within a few decades. It has been 4,000 years since the glaciers have receded this much.
Biggest solar flare of the year showers the Earth
The largest solar flare of the year erupted from the sun earlier this month. Space weather is the stuff that gets spewed out by the sun and other stars — electromagnetic energy, solar material. It travels through the solar system and interacts with everything it comes across, including the Earth’s magnetic field. While we’re mostly protected from harmful radiation, solar activity is sometimes disruptive and predicting it is difficult.
Women are suing Johnson & Johnson over talcum powder
Talcum powder has been used for more than a century on babies and many people use it for daily hygiene. But a spate of recent lawsuits and some studies suggest using talc could lead to ovarian cancer in adult women. Still, the science is far from settled.
