Lauren Sommer

Lauren Sommer appears in the following:

Fireproofing your home isn't very expensive — but few states require it

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Many Western states lack building codes for wildfire-resistant homes. But a new study finds the costs can be minimal, undercutting long-held building industry arguments against such codes.

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Is your house at risk of a wildfire? This online tool could tell you

Monday, May 16, 2022

Many people move without realizing the danger that wildfires pose to their new home. A new risk rating system could help buyers learn more on real estate sites.

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California just ran on 100% renewable energy, but fossil fuels aren't fading away yet

Friday, May 13, 2022

California broke its record for renewable energy when solar and wind provided enough to meet all consumer demand. At the time, natural gas power plants were still on, a necessity for the grid.

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Vacuuming carbon from the air could help stop climate change. Not everyone agrees

Monday, May 02, 2022

With the climate warming rapidly, scientists are finding that cutting fossil fuels may not be enough. Carbon dioxide emissions may need to be vacuumed right out of the air.

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Is sucking carbon from the air the key to stop climate change? Some scientists say so

Thursday, April 28, 2022

With the climate getting hotter, scientists are finding that cutting fossil fuels may not be enough. Carbon dioxide emissions may need to be vacuumed right out of the air.

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Green infrastructure helps cities with climate change. So why isn't there more of it?

Friday, April 15, 2022

The U.S. is making the largest investment in history in the country's water system. In the rush to spend, some worry green projects will be overlooked.

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It's not too late to stave off the climate crisis, U.N. report finds. Here's how

Monday, April 04, 2022

The good news is that the world has solutions and technology to slow climate change. The bad news is that time is running out.

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Australia's Great Barrier Reef is hit with mass coral bleaching yet again

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Some corals have turned a ghostly white due to extreme heat stress. It's the fourth bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in the last seven years, which makes it harder to recover.

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A massive bleaching event is taking place in Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Friday, March 25, 2022

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is suffering another mass bleaching. That's when corals turn ghostly white due to heat, and it's becoming more common as the climate warms.

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Is breeding bulldogs cruel? Animal groups debate how to make them healthier

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

With smushed-in faces and compact bodies, bulldogs are prone to health problems. A court in Norway recently banned breeding them, sparking an international debate.

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Hotter temps bring more pollen — meaning climate change will intensify allergy season

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Allergy season is getting worse as the climate changes, according to new research. Hotter temperatures are causing some plants to produce more pollen.

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With all of their health problems, should bulldogs continue to be bred?

Tuesday, March 08, 2022

A judge in Norway has banned the breeding of bulldogs. Their flat, smooshed faces can cause health problems. An animal rights group argued the breed is so unhealthy, it amounts to animal cruelty.

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Orcas take down a blue whale, proving they're the apex predators of the ocean

Saturday, February 19, 2022

"Within seconds we realized, oh my God, a pack of killer whales is attacking a blue whale," researcher John Totterdell from the Cetacean Research Centre in Australia, told NPR.

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Scientists witness orcas kill the world's largest animal: the blue whale

Friday, February 18, 2022

It was once thought that nothing could take down the world's largest animal, the blue whale. But scientists have witnessed something unusual that shows these giants do have a predator to worry about.

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An unexpected item is blocking cities' climate change prep: obsolete rainfall records

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Cities are experiencing heavier storms and flooding as the climate gets hotter. But due to outdated rainfall records, many are still building infrastructure for the climate of the past.

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Infrastructure funds will help prepare cities for rain. But how much rain is coming?

Tuesday, February 08, 2022

Cities will soon spend billions upgrading their water systems with federal infrastructure funds. But many don't have information about how to prepare the systems for climate change.

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To get by in a changing climate, plants need animal poop to carry them to safety

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

As the climate gets hotter, plants could need to move to new habitats. But animals that eat their fruit and help spread the seeds are disappearing.

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To survive climate change, plants can't just get up and move

Friday, January 14, 2022

As the climate gets hotter, plants may need to grow in new locations to survive. But the animals that help spread the seeds are disappearing.

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2021 was a hot year in a concerningly hot decade, report finds

Thursday, January 13, 2022

A new climate report finds that 2021 was the sixth hottest year on record. The past decade has also been the hottest since record-keeping began.

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How 2021's floods and heat waves are signs of what's to come

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Many of this year's deadly extreme weather is linked to climate change and scientists warn they're a sign of what's to come.

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