earth environmental and planetary sciences

A gray haze hung over Cleveland last week as smoke and soot from raging wildfires in western Canada swept over our region. Southwesterly winds carried harmful toxins and pollutants with them, resulting in an air quality advisory that warned those in sensitive groups to stay indoors to minimize the e...

Each year, World Environment Day (June 5) calls on people worldwide to raise awareness and take action to protect the planet—and at Case Western Reserve University, that spirit is alive year-round. From groundbreaking environmental research and campus sustainability programs led by the Office of ...

Scientists are trying to understand why the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere changed by about 90 parts per million (ppmv) between icy (glacial) and warmer (interglacial) periods in Earth’s history. This is a big question in climate research. Even though these cycles between cold and warm periods seem...

As millions looked skyward last month for the total solar eclipse, including those in the path of totality in Cleveland, we were reminded of the mysteries and challenges that lie beyond our atmosphere. Among the vast expanse of the cosmos, questions still linger—questions that push the boundaries of...

From freshwater spaces to bogs, swamps, marshes and beyond, wetlands are distinct climates and ecosystems that play major roles in the air we breathe. Not only that, they house 40% of all plant and animal species—despite covering just 6% of Earth’s land surface, according to the United Nations (UN)....

Of the many traits that unite members of the Case Western Reserve University community, one is perhaps the most inspiring: an innovative spirit. During Innovation Week, taking place Sept. 26–29 this year, that spirit will be celebrated with a full slate of events. Among the festivities will be the ...

After making landfall in Florida Wednesday morning at Category 3 strength, Hurricane Idalia was described as “violent,” “catastrophic,” and even “apocalyptic.” The storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of people, halted air travel, prompted evacuations, sparked flash flooding and even tu...

This article originally appeared in the spring/summer 2023 edition of Think magazine. This summer, The Daily will share some of the articles from the latest edition of the magazine. View more stories at case.edu/think. Steven Hauck was helping analyze data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission a decade ago...