Latest news with #Keeling
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
CO2 levels just broke another record. Here's what that means
When man first walked on the moon, the carbon dioxide concentration in Earth's atmosphere was 325 parts per million (ppm). By 9/11, it was 369 ppm, and when COVID-19 shut down normal life in 2020, it had shot up to 414 parts ppm. This week, our planet hit the highest levels ever directly recorded: 430 parts per million. For 67 years, the observatory on Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano has been taking these measurements daily — tracking the invisible gas that is building up in our atmosphere and changing life on Earth. The record is known as the Keeling Curve. Charles David Keeling began those recordings, some of the first in the world to measure CO2 concentration over time. His son, Ralph Keeling, born one year before the observatory opened, has witnessed the rapid increase firsthand over his lifetime. "I was a teenager when I first started to appreciate what my father was doing and how it might be significant," Keeling told CBC News. Back then it was around 330 ppm. Keeling, a geochemistry professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, took over the research once his father passed away in 2005. "This problem is not going away, and we're moving further and further into uncharted territory, and almost certainly, very dangerous territory." The build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere isn't visible to the naked eye, but its concentration matters because of the greenhouse effect. Like the glass walls that trap heat from the sun in an actual greenhouse, gases in our atmosphere such as CO2 and methane also trap heat from the sun. At the start of the Industrial Revolution, ice core samples show CO2 levels were around 280 parts per million but as they rose, warming has increased by about 1.3 C over the pre-industrial average. That's led to rising temperatures and leading to more frequent and extreme weather, like heat waves, floods, wildfires and droughts. While many have heard about the goals of limiting warming to 1.5 C or 2 C above pre-industrial levels, there have also been efforts to return CO2 levels to below 350 parts per million, as a key part of limiting the damage from climate change. The record highs have continued though. Just in the last year, CO2 readings from May have increased more than three parts per million — that many more molecules of CO2 trapping heat and contributing to warming. "We know why it's rising faster than ever, it's because we're burning more fossil fuels each year," said Keeling. Damon Matthews, a climate scientist and professor at Concordia University in Quebec, also says he's concerned and isn't surprised that there are new records every year. "If we want to actually stabilize CO2 levels in the atmosphere, we would need to cut global emissions by more than 50 per cent, and we're nowhere near doing that," he said, adding that there are other gases at play but CO2 is the dominant influence. "Every May, we're going to see a new record of atmospheric CO2, until we actually make a lot more progress on climate mitigation than we have today." The annual cycle, peaking in late spring in the northern hemisphere, is tied to plant photosynthesis — CO2 concentrations drop in the summer as plants absorb the gas and release oxygen. In 2021, the International Energy Agency said that if the world wants to limit global warming and reach net-zero by 2050, there could be no new coal, oil or gas projects. Matthews is part of Canada's net-zero advisory body and says he's seen some progress in decreasing CO2 emissions the last few years, but not enough. He says Europe's emissions have been going down for decades, and that last year CO2 emissions in China didn't increase. However, he says Canada still lags behind other countries, and the U.S. is trending the other way. "There's lots of policy options, certainly focusing on expanding the oil and gas industry in Canada right now is not going to get us where we need to go in terms of climate," he said. "We just need to stop arguing about whether it's a priority and start doing the things that we know will help to solve the problem."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Earth's atmosphere hasn't had this much CO2 in millions of years
Earth's atmosphere now has more carbon dioxide in it than it has in millions — and possibly tens of millions — of years, according to data released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and scientists at the University of California San Diego. For the first time, global average concentrations of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas emitted as a byproduct of burning fossil fuels, exceeded 430 parts per million (ppm) in May. The new readings were a record high and represented an increase of more than 3 ppm over last year. The measurements indicate that countries are not doing enough to limit greenhouse gas emissions and reverse the steady buildup of C02, which climate scientists point to as the main culprit for global warming. 'Another year, another record,' Ralph Keeling, a professor of climate sciences, marine chemistry and geochemistry at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said in a statement. 'It's sad.' Carbon dioxide, like other greenhouse gases, traps heat from the sun and can remain in the atmosphere for centuries. As such, high concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere contribute to higher global temperatures and other negative consequences of climate change, including rising sea levels, melting polar ice, and more frequent and severe extreme weather events. Atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen sharply since preindustrial times, owing mostly to human activities that pump greenhouse gases into the air. Decades ago, crossing the 400 ppm threshold was unthinkable. That meant that for every 1 million molecules of gas in the atmosphere, more than 400 were carbon dioxide. The planet hit that grim milestone in 2013. And now, scientists have warned that levels of CO2 could reach 500 ppm within 30 years. But human society is already in uncharted territory. The last time the planet had such high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was likely more than 30 million years ago, Keeling said, long before humans roamed Earth and during a time when the climate was vastly different. He said it's alarming not only how high CO2 levels have climbed, but also how quickly. 'It's changing so fast,' he told NBC News. 'If humans had evolved in such a high-CO2 world, there would probably be places where we wouldn't be living now. We probably could have adapted to such a world, but we built our society and a civilization around yesterday's climate.' Carbon dioxide levels are typically represented on a graph known as the Keeling Curve, named for Keeling's father, Charles David Keeling, who began taking daily measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide in 1958 with instruments atop the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The Keeling Curve famously shows a steep climb since the Industrial Revolution, owing to human-caused climate change. Ralph Keeling and his colleagues at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that average concentrations of atmospheric CO2 in May were 430.2 ppm. NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory, which has conducted separate daily readings since 1974, reported an average of 430.5 ppm in May. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are closely monitored to gauge how much humans are influencing Earth's climate. The readings are also an indicator of the planet's overall health. 'They're telling you about your whole system health with a single-point measurement,' Keeling said. 'We're getting a holistic measurement of the atmosphere from really a kind of simple set of measurements.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
5 days ago
- Science
- NBC News
Earth's atmosphere hasn't had this much CO2 in millions of years
Earth's atmosphere now has more carbon dioxide in it than it has in millions — and possibly tens of millions — of years, according to data released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and scientists at the University of California San Diego. For the first time, global average concentrations of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas emitted as a byproduct of burning fossil fuels, exceeded 430 parts per million (ppm) in May. The new readings were a record high and represented an increase of more than 3 ppm over last year. The measurements indicate that countries are not doing enough to limit greenhouse gas emissions and reverse the steady buildup of C02, which climate scientists point to as the main culprit for global warming. 'Another year, another record,' Ralph Keeling, a professor of climate sciences, marine chemistry and geochemistry at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said in a statement. 'It's sad.' Carbon dioxide, like other greenhouse gases, traps heat from the sun and can remain in the atmosphere for centuries. As such, high concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere contribute to higher global temperatures and other negative consequences of climate change, including rising sea levels, melting polar ice, and more frequent and severe extreme weather events. Atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen sharply since preindustrial times, owing mostly to human activities that pump greenhouse gases into the air. Decades ago, crossing the 400 ppm threshold was unthinkable. That meant that for every 1 million molecules of gas in the atmosphere, more than 400 were carbon dioxide. The planet hit that grim milestone in 2013. And now, scientists have warned that levels of CO2 could reach 500 ppm within 30 years. But human society is already in uncharted territory. The last time the planet had such high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was likely more than 30 million years ago, Keeling said, long before humans roamed Earth and during a time when the climate was vastly different. He said it's alarming not only how high CO2 levels have climbed, but also how quickly. 'It's changing so fast,' he told NBC News. 'If humans had evolved in such a high-CO2 world, there would probably be places where we wouldn't be living now. We probably could have adapted to such a world, but we built our society and a civilization around yesterday's climate.' Carbon dioxide levels are typically represented on a graph known as the Keeling Curve, named for Keeling's father, Charles David Keeling, who began taking daily measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide in 1958 with instruments atop the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The Keeling Curve famously shows a steep climb since the Industrial Revolution, owing to human-caused climate change. Ralph Keeling and his colleagues at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that average concentrations of atmospheric CO2 in May were 430.2 ppm. NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory, which has conducted separate daily readings since 1974, reported an average of 430.5 ppm in May. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are closely monitored to gauge how much humans are influencing Earth's climate. The readings are also an indicator of the planet's overall health. 'They're telling you about your whole system health with a single-point measurement,' Keeling said. 'We're getting a holistic measurement of the atmosphere from really a kind of simple set of measurements.'
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
AI foot scanner could keep people with heart failure out of hospital
The device, which is roughly the size of a smart speaker, operates in a similar way to facial recognition by taking and analysing almost 2,000 pictures a minute to calculate the level of fluid in the feet and ankles. This water retention, known as oedema, is one of the three major warning signs that heart failure is becoming severe and potentially life threatening. The AI scanner is able to trigger an alert to healthcare professionals so they can take action, such as increasing their patient's medication. The Foot Study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference in Manchester, suggests these alerts come 13 days before a person would end up in hospital. It involved 26 heart failure patients from five NHS trusts who were enrolled between 2020 and 2022. They were monitored using the AI device and were also asked to weigh themselves using Bluetooth-enabled scales. Seven instance of worsening heart failure was detected in six patients, while one death from the condition was recorded. Researchers found that, in patients enrolled in the study for at least two weeks before an alert was triggered, the average lead time before hospital admission was 13 days. The lead time averaged eight days when all five triggers picked up by the device were analysed. The study also found that monitoring using the scales failed to predict any heart failure-related hospital admissions. Researchers suggested this is because patients struggled to stick to tracking their weight, whereas the AI device did not require any action. Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and a consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Only about half of people admitted to hospital with heart failure currently get assigned an early review by a heart failure nurse who can check to see if they are suffering a harmful build-up of fluid because their heart is not working properly. 'Amid a shortage of heart failure nurses, a device like this can be like a virtual nurse, tracking people's health.' The device, developed by Cambridge-based start-up Heartfelt Technologies, is mounted to the wall and is typically installed at a patient's bedside. It uses AI technology to detect a person's foot and lower leg and track their position, so a camera can take 1,800 pictures a minute from multiple angles. These images reveal the volume of fluid in the foot and lower leg. It works without wifi, and only scans the legs to a height of 50cm from the floor. Heart failure is a long-term condition that means the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, usually because the heart has become too weak or stiff. Is it estimated that more than a million people are living with heart failure in the UK. The three main symptoms that indicate the condition is getting worse are increased breathlessness, weight gain and swelling in the legs or ankles. Dr Keeling added: 'Living with heart failure can be overwhelming, with all the medications, medical tests and appointments, and the requirement to monitor your own health. 'This scanner, once it is installed, just automatically keeps an eye on you and alerts the heart failure nurse, which is a huge relief.' At the end of the study, 18 of the 22 surviving patients kept the AI device. Reacting to the findings, Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: 'This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital. 'This study is a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment, by allowing people to track a key sign of their heart health at home. 'Innovations with the potential to transform heart care in this way are a major part of the BHF's goal to save and improve lives of people living with cardiovascular disease.'
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Health
- Leader Live
AI foot scanner could keep people with heart failure out of hospital
The device, which is roughly the size of a smart speaker, operates in a similar way to facial recognition by taking and analysing almost 2,000 pictures a minute to calculate the level of fluid in the feet and ankles. This water retention, known as oedema, is one of the three major warning signs that heart failure is becoming severe and potentially life threatening. The AI scanner is able to trigger an alert to healthcare professionals so they can take action, such as increasing their patient's medication. The Foot Study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference in Manchester, suggests these alerts come 13 days before a person would end up in hospital. It involved 26 heart failure patients from five NHS trusts who were enrolled between 2020 and 2022. They were monitored using the AI device and were also asked to weigh themselves using Bluetooth-enabled scales. Seven instance of worsening heart failure was detected in six patients, while one death from the condition was recorded. Researchers found that, in patients enrolled in the study for at least two weeks before an alert was triggered, the average lead time before hospital admission was 13 days. The lead time averaged eight days when all five triggers picked up by the device were analysed. The study also found that monitoring using the scales failed to predict any heart failure-related hospital admissions. Researchers suggested this is because patients struggled to stick to tracking their weight, whereas the AI device did not require any action. Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and a consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Only about half of people admitted to hospital with heart failure currently get assigned an early review by a heart failure nurse who can check to see if they are suffering a harmful build-up of fluid because their heart is not working properly. 'Amid a shortage of heart failure nurses, a device like this can be like a virtual nurse, tracking people's health.' The device, developed by Cambridge-based start-up Heartfelt Technologies, is mounted to the wall and is typically installed at a patient's bedside. It uses AI technology to detect a person's foot and lower leg and track their position, so a camera can take 1,800 pictures a minute from multiple angles. These images reveal the volume of fluid in the foot and lower leg. It works without wifi, and only scans the legs to a height of 50cm from the floor. Heart failure is a long-term condition that means the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, usually because the heart has become too weak or stiff. Is it estimated that more than a million people are living with heart failure in the UK. The three main symptoms that indicate the condition is getting worse are increased breathlessness, weight gain and swelling in the legs or ankles. Dr Keeling added: 'Living with heart failure can be overwhelming, with all the medications, medical tests and appointments, and the requirement to monitor your own health. 'This scanner, once it is installed, just automatically keeps an eye on you and alerts the heart failure nurse, which is a huge relief.' At the end of the study, 18 of the 22 surviving patients kept the AI device. Reacting to the findings, Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: 'This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital. 'This study is a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment, by allowing people to track a key sign of their heart health at home. 'Innovations with the potential to transform heart care in this way are a major part of the BHF's goal to save and improve lives of people living with cardiovascular disease.'
