Can Nuclear Energy Solve the Climate Crisis?

 As the energy demand rises, the world heats up, and nonrenewable energy sources appear less fruitful in the eyes of society, nuclear power has been explored by many countries as an option to expand their energy network. The world is divided on this topic though, mainly due to some concerning challenges with implementation of nuclear facilities [1]. This sparks the debate, can nuclear energy solve the climate crisis?

Is Active Aero on Street Cars an Engineering Breakthrough or High-Speed Hype?

You’re cruising down the interstate when the rear wing on the sports sedan ahead of you twitches upward, almost like a bird adjusting its feathers. Moments later, the grille shutters on the family SUV in the next lane snap shut to slice through the air. New cars move even when they’re just driving in a straight line, thanks to active aerodynamics, body panels that change shape to cut drag, save fuel, or glue tires to pavement. Engineers hail these gizmos as the next leap in road-car safety and efficiency. Skeptics smell over-engineered gadgetry that breaks more often than it helps. Who’s right? Let’s dig in.

Can Engineering Help Cities Choose the Right Kind of Green?

The pressure of climate change and population increase is growing and is becoming a threat to urban infrastructure constantly. Urban water management has had the backbone of traditional “gray” infrastructure for decades. These engineered networks of sewers and pipes have been a solution but have often come with high costs, environmental trade-offs, and little to no flexibility. On the more recent side there is “green” infrastructure consisting of rain gardens, green roofs, and even parks which can offer multi-purpose land use, along with multiple benefits. The improvements to public health, and air quality have driven cities to invest more but eventually these benefits plateau and costs increase or are difficult to implement and maintain (Zhou 2014). Luckily researchers have begun to look into more options than just the two. Enter “blue-green” infrastructure, a new approach to managing stormwater that is hybrid, blending both engineering and natural elements to get the best of both worlds. The hybrid model allows for the environmental and even social benefits while managing stormwater more effectively. 

Can Geoengineering Really Save Us From Climate Disaster?

In 2015, the nations of the world resolved in the Paris Agreement to keep the increase in the global average temperature to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels’ and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Despite this goal, it is unlikely that the increase will remain below 2°C celsius, and it is almost certain that it won’t stay below 1.5 [1]. In order to help reach these long-term temperature goals, global action must be accelerated far beyond the current level, which will only be possible with a new type of technology, that is, geoengineering.