Emissions

13. December 2023

Solar energy revolution

Excited by light

Mimicking 'plant power' through artificial photosynthesis: an approach that could drive the solar energy revolution. Researchers at the University of Vienna are in a bid to chase this dream by trying to capture the sun's energy and storing it in chemical compounds. A report on how this works and why computer simulations are indispensable in the process.

23. May 2023

Guest article by

Blaž Gasparini

Solar Geoengineering

A planetary sunscreen can probably cool the climate, but not solve the climate crisis

In this guest post, climate physicist Blaž Gasparini explains recent attempts to counteract global warming by giving the planet "sun protection" – via injecting the gas sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere – and why the scientific community broadly criticizes the approach.

17. February 2023

Climate science and permafrost soils

When thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gas

There is hardly any other region where climate change is as noticeable as in the Arctic. At the Arctic Science Summit Week 2023, which is currently taking place at the University of Vienna, 700 international Arctic researchers are putting their heads together. One of them is Andreas Richter from the University of Vienna: he and his team experienced the explosive nature of the topic at first hand a few months ago during field research in the Canadian Arctic. Read more in the guest article.

10. February 2023

Magnesite is storing greenhouse gases

Archaea as climate saviours?

Geologist Jennifer Zwicker from the University of Vienna is studying whether archaea are playing a role in forming magnesite or not, exemplified by the Kraubath magnesite deposit in Styria, Austria. If they are, these tiny microorganisms could help us combat the climate crisis.

6. October 2022

Climate science and permafrost soils

When thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gas

Three weeks in the Canadian Arctic: Ecosystem researchers from the University of Vienna collected soil samples in northwestern Canada. They are investigating how the nitrogen bound in permafrost is processed by microorganisms when these permafrost soils thaw. What happens in the process could exacerbate climate change.

9. March 2022

Guest article by

Lisa Schipper

IPCC Climate Report

Adaptation on climate change and its limits

The new chapter of the IPCC climate report is clear: Climate change affects the planet, biodiversity, our lives in a severe way. Lisa Schipper in her guest article about adaption on climate change.

11. May 2021

Permafrost

"What we are doing right now is completely irresponsible"

Andreas Richter conducts research at a place where it is (still) cold: In the Arctic and the Alps, global warming is progressing at the fastest rate – here, researchers can examine essential mechanisms and collect data required to determine the speed at which the Earth is heading towards irreversible change.