What Ancient Rome Can Teach Us About Climate Disasters
There are two things everybody knows about Roman Empire: that it was an invincible superpower, and that when it fell, it fell hard. Usually the death of the empire gets blamed on barbarian hordes, imperial decadence, or on simple exhaustion. But one factor in Rome’s slow tumble into chaos has often been ignored: the role…
Blanketing California in Fire Retardant Is Potentially Very Harmful
As a firestorm rages across Southern California near the end of one of the state’s worst wildfire seasons, much attention has been drawn to the bright red foam that’s dropped from planes in an effort to slow the fire’s spread. Chemical fire retardant can be an important firefighting tool. But it can also have some…
After Years Working in Dominica, Scientists Are Helping Their ‘Other Family’ Rebuild
SOUFRIÈRE, DOMINICA—Backed against the wall of their crumbling home, with nothing but a mattress between them and one of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history, Simon Walsh and his wife wrestled with the reality that this could be their final night. “Noises, horrible tearing wrenching noises and crashes came to us through the Maleficent…
