Our Finite Planet
There Is No ‘Planet B’ for Us to Resettle
Though other habitable Earth-like planets may exist in the (relatively) nearby universe, it is not likely we will be able to find and settle any successfully in the foreseeable future. We are stuck with what we have: a unique and amazing gift that our species is despoiling.
A Short History of Climate Change and Extinction
In the history of the Earth, stretching back billions of years, has there ever been a time when the climate was changing as it is today? And can such a time show us exactly what will happen next? The short answer is no.
The Climate at the Birth of Homo Sapiens
During most of humanity’s existence, Earth’s climate has been harsh and hostile. Our most adaptable ancestors—those who knew how to cooperate—were those who tended to survive. It's a lesson for us today as we face an uncertain climate future.
The Climate on the Eve of Civilization
Between twenty and ten thousand years ago the Earth’s orbit changed, increasing the solar energy reaching the planet by more than 10%. This set into motion a series of feedbacks that caused the Earth to warm, enabling the birth of agriculture—and civilization.
The Human Footprint: The Causes and History of Climate Change
Modern climate science, a combination of many disciplines, has given us knowledge of how the weather and the seasons now depend on us, and about our own outsized impact on our finite planet.
There Is No ‘Planet B’ for Us to Resettle
Though other habitable Earth-like planets may exist in the (relatively) nearby universe, it is not likely we will be able to find and settle any successfully in the foreseeable future. We are stuck with what we have: a unique and amazing gift that our species is despoiling.
A Short History of Climate Change and Extinction
In the history of the Earth, stretching back billions of years, has there ever been a time when the climate was changing as it is today? And can such a time show us exactly what will happen next? The short answer is no.
The Climate at the Birth of Homo Sapiens
During most of humanity’s existence, Earth’s climate has been harsh and hostile. Our most adaptable ancestors—those who knew how to cooperate—were those who tended to survive. It's a lesson for us today as we face an uncertain climate future.
The Climate on the Eve of Civilization
Between twenty and ten thousand years ago the Earth’s orbit changed, increasing the solar energy reaching the planet by more than 10%. This set into motion a series of feedbacks that caused the Earth to warm, enabling the birth of agriculture—and civilization.
The Human Footprint: The Causes and History of Climate Change
Modern climate science, a combination of many disciplines, has given us knowledge of how the weather and the seasons now depend on us, and about our own outsized impact on our finite planet.
