Geoscience

23. May 2023

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.

12. April 2023

Tipping points in mathematics, ecology and geography

Today in front of the abyss, tomorrow one step ahead?

All complex systems can reach critical threshold values. If they are exceeded, this usually has grave and irreversible consequences. Understanding these tipping points is essential to saving the relationship between the planet and humans. We have interviewed the mathematicians Sara Merino-Aceituno and Henk Bruin, the ecologist Christina Kaiser and the geographer Harald Sterly.

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.

23. November 2022

Climate change

Melting glaciers and their future

Due to climate change, glaciers and ice-sheets worldwide are shrinking. To be able to predict their future, glacial geologist Bethan Davies is exploring their geological past - their "geomorphological footprint" so to say. During the winter term 22/23, she is Ida Pfeiffer Professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy of the University of Vienna.

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.

18. November 2021

Sea-Unicorn

The hidden pathways of the oceans

The aim of the EU-funded Sea-Unicorn project is to unify scientific approaches to "Marine Functional Connectivity" – i.e. the connections and pathways of marine organisms that allow the populations, species and ecosystems of the different oceans to connect. On board is Konstantina Agiadi from the Department of Palaeontology of the University of Vienna.