carbon dioxide news stories on Newser

Overweight? Blame It on CO2

Matt Cantor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:53:10 CDT

Why are we fat? It's just something in the air, researchers say—namely carbon dioxide. A Danish researcher found that subjects' weight gain over two decades matched the increase in carbon dioxide over the same period, the Daily Mail reports. What's more, between 1986 and 2010, American obesity increased the...

Study: 14 Practical Steps Can Slow Climate Change

Matt Cantor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:24:07 CST

Just because the world can't agree on a battle plan against carbon dioxide doesn't mean we can't take big strides against climate change, scientists say. In fact, a dozen or so relatively simple steps could cut global warming by nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit by mid-century, a process that could save...

Canada Slammed for Kyoto Pullout

Mark Russell — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:57:00 CST

Countries and environmentalist groups around the world are slamming Canada for pulling out of the Kyoto climate treaty on Monday, reports the Guardian . "Preposterous" and "an excuse to shirk responsibility," was how the withdrawal was described by China, the world's largest carbon dioxide producer . The UN climate chief was more...

Global Carbon Emissions in Biggest Jump Ever

Mark Russell — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:05:00 CST

Carbon dioxide emissions around their world jumped by the largest amount ever last year, increasing by half a billion tons, reports the New York Times . As a percentage, the 5.9% rise was the largest since 2003 and a sign that 2009's drop of 1.4% was an aberration cause...

Dying Forests May Mean Hotter World

John Johnson — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:10:32 CDT

The New York Times has a gloomy story on the state of forests in the US and around the world and the potential effect on the environment. Vast swaths are dying off: Pine beetles that used to be kept in check by cold winters are gorging on trees in the...

Soda Fountain Gas Blamed for McDonald's Death

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:51:48 CDT

A soda fountain is to blame in the death of an 80-year-old woman who was found unconscious last week in a McDonald’s restroom in Georgia, police say. Carbon dioxide, used to carbonate the beverages and normally harmless, was accidentally piped through leaky gas lines in the walls between the soda...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Track to Set Record

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:38:59 CST

The bad news: Greenhouse gas emissions could hit record highs this year, a new study shows. The kinda good news: Researchers say a recovering economy is to blame. Scientists found that—despite the financial crisis—global carbon dioxide emissions only dropped by 1.3% last year compared to 2008's record...

Near-Death 'Heavenly Lights' Linked to CO 2

Emily Rauhala — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:52:59 CDT

That "heavenly" light at the end of the tunnel may have more to do with carbon dioxide than an afterlife, a new study finds. Slovenian researchers studying near-death experiences found that people who reported seeing their life—or light—flash before their eyes had higher levels of CO2 in their...

Volcano Eruptions Led to Rise of Dinosaurs

Harry Kimball — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:10:00 CDT

An explosion of volcanic activity 200 million years ago may have been responsible for the mass extinction that left dinosaurs with few competitors and allowed them to dominate the Earth for almost 150 million years. Researchers have discovered evidence of massive lava flows concurrent with elevated levels of CO2 in...