Monthly Archives: September 2014

Principles and Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Use of GIS has seen unprecedented growth in the last ten years. With the powerful technology getting cheaper and system memories expanding, meaning that we can handle much bigger sets of data, some say that GIS is in a golden age. It was once the preserve of the cartographer – few outside would have used…
Read more

Solar Power 101: Advantages & Disadvantages

Solar power is the conversion of the sun’s energy into electricity. With an estimated 173,000 terawatts of solar energy continuously hitting Earth’s surface (1), there is more than enough energy to meet the world’s current consumption levels of 15 terawatts per year (2). The trick, though, is collecting it. Solar Power Technology Solar energy is primarily collected…
Read more

El Niño and La Niña: Their Impact on the Environment

We know that there are many anthropogenic forcings on the climate, particularly the volume of carbon and greenhouse gases pumped into the atmosphere as a part of our everyday lives. Yet there are a number of natural processes that affect local weather, regional climate and global conditions. Some effects on our climate are a result…
Read more

Gaining International Experience in Environmental Science

Whether you have been hit by the travel bug, your parents promised a trip for graduation (anywhere you wanted to go!), you can’t find a job close to home, or you just plain want to build a skill-set to set you apart from your peers, you may be looking for international work in Environmental Science. …
Read more

Recommended Environmental Science Articles & Journals

Information about what is happening in the scientific community reaches us a variety of ways.  Some may be through a group you follow on social media.  Some may be via word of mouth, or CNN, BBC, in a class, on the radio as a public notice, overheard at a restaurant, etc.  One tried and true…
Read more

How Does Radiocarbon-14 Dating Work?

What is Radiocarbon Dating? Radiocarbon dating is a method of what is known as “Absolute Dating”. Despite the name, it does not give an absolute date of organic material – but an approximate age, usually within a range of a few years either way. The other method is “Relative Dating” which gives an order of…
Read more