British scientists try to engineer soils that suck carbon out of the air
Getting carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere is just one step. After plants and trees pull CO2 out of the air, some of the surplus carbon is funneled down into the soil, where it can then re-enter the atmosphere or seep into groundwater. To trap this excess carbon, Newcastle University scientists are trying to design new kinds of soils that would transform the stuff into calcium carbonate, keeping it down in the ground.
The scientists think that man made or natural soils with calcium-bearing silicates could perform this Earth-friendly trick. To test their theory, they’re going to study both natural and artificial soils, and they’ll also grow plants in soil stocked with calcium silicates.
The idea of using soil as a carbon sink isn’t new, but the scientists say that this will be the first time any team has tried to design dirt with this purpose in mind. The first applications could be within 2-3 years.
Deadly soot emerges as a much bigger contributor to global warming than previously believed
In a new review article in Nature Geoscience, two scientists say that black carbon, the stuff that gets kicked up into the air from biomass burning and diesel engines, among other things, could account for as much as 60 percent of the warming effect of carbon dioxide. That’s three to four times greater than most estimates, and more than that of any greenhouse gas save CO2.
Scripps atmospheric scientist V. Ramanathan and University of Iowa chemical engineer Greg Carmichael looked at data from satellites, aircraft and surface instruments to gauge the real effect of black carbon.
They also explored the sources. Roughly a third of carbon that gets into the atmosphere originates in China and India, most likely from the burning of wood and cow manure, or coal to heat homes. Countries that rely on diesel fuel for transportation are also big contributors.
The soot can be a killer, too, and the scientists argue that eliminating black carbon would have a significant effect both on the environment and the people who inhale it regularly.
