Chris Mooney
Washington Post
United States
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Past articles by Chris:
Reeling Arctic glaciers are leaving bubbling methane in their wake, scientists warn
Scientists found that rapidly retreating Arctic glaciers are triggering the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that causes global temperatures to rise, into the atmosphere. → Read More
The speed of this Greenland glacier’s melt could signal even worse sea level rise
Scientists studying one of Greenland’s largest glaciers say it is melting far faster than expected at its most vulnerable point, a worrying sign that glaciers perched in the ocean could contribute more rapidly to sea level rise than currently forecast. → Read More
Floating ice around Antarctica just hit a record low
The record is a sign that one of the most remote and mysterious facets of the climate system may, at last, be responding to the overall planetary warming trend. → Read More
When scientists tagged a curious seal, he led them to signs of a potential climate disaster
The seal and robot helped scientists find a climate change disaster waiting to happen in one of the most mysterious regions on Earth: vast glaciers in West Antarctica. → Read More
Parts of Greenland now hotter than at any time in the past 1,000 years, scientists say
New research in the northern part of Greenland finds temperatures are already 2.7 degrees warmer than they were in the 20th century. → Read More
Greenland ice sheet set to raise sea levels by nearly a foot, study finds
Human-driven climate change has set in motion massive ice losses in Greenland that couldn’t be halted even if the world stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, according to a new study published Monday. → Read More
Report of an ancient methane release raises questions for our climate future
A new scientific claim about a burst of methane from the sea floor 125,000 years ago raises questions about our climate future. → Read More
The climate bill won’t stop global warming. But it will clean the air.
The economic and climate deal announced last this week by Senate Democrats, which would represent America’s biggest actions ever to curb climate change, can scarcely be expected to have an immediate, measurable impact on the warming planet. But it will clean the air. → Read More
Last month was among the warmest Junes on record, reports say
June was around 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than an average June in the late 1800s, according to NASA, tying with temperatures from June 2020 for the warmest on record. → Read More
Climate pledges built on flawed emissions data, Post investigation finds
An examination of 196 country reports to the United Nations reveals a giant gap between what nations declare their emissions to be versus the greenhouse gases they are sending into the atmosphere. The gap ranges from at least 8.5 billion to as high as 13.3 billion tons a year -- surpassing the annual emissions of China. → Read More
An enormous missing contribution to global warming may have been right under our feet
A new study finds a massive, previously unknown contribution to climate change in the form of human conversion of peatlands. → Read More
A California restaurant’s experiment amid coronavirus to improve indoor air quality and safety
Sierra Mar, a resort restaurant in Big Sur, Calif., has added new technology to reduce possible transmission of coronavirus and other of airborne pathogens. → Read More
Global forest losses accelerated despite the pandemic, threatening world’s climate goals
Even amid the pandemic, losses of vital forests in the tropics increased by 12 percent between 2019 and 2020, a satellite-based survey found. → Read More
Deadly floods in India point to a looming climate emergency in the Himalayas
A massive surge of rock, debris, and icy water killed more than 50 people in Uttarakhand this month. Nearly 150 others are still missing. → Read More
The coronavirus is airborne. Here’s how to know if you’re breathing other people’s breath.
In a major new pandemic trend, people are turning to carbon dioxide monitoring devices to help assess ventilation quality and coronavirus transmission risk. → Read More
2020 rivals hottest year on record, pushing Earth closer to a critical climate threshold
Escalating temperatures poise the planet to breach 1.5 C for the first time, possibly later this decade. → Read More
Scientists descended into Greenland’s perilous ice caverns — and came back with a worrying message
Vertical ice caverns in Greenland, called "moulins," are even bigger than scientists thought. → Read More
Biden wants the U.S. to stop contributing to climate change by 2050. Here’s what that would actually take.
A new Princeton report details exactly what it would take to no longer add carbon dioxide to the air. → Read More
How genetic science helped expose a coronavirus outbreak in Iowa
Workers at an Agri Star meatpacking plant in Iowa were left clueless as the coronavirus spread in their ranks. Genetic data held the answers. → Read More
Massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread
Scientists in Houston on Wednesday released a study of more than 5,000 genetic sequences of the coronavirus, which reveals the virus’s continual accumulation of mutations, one of which may have made it more contagious. That mutation is associated with a higher viral load among patients upon initial diagnosis, the researchers found. The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, was posted… → Read More