In depth: Geophysics & environmental physics

Sustainability made simple

Oct 1, 2009 Review

Niall MacKay and Roger Edgar assess what the UK government's new climate adviser has to say on energy

Wrong but useful

Oct 1, 2009 12 comments Feature

Gavin Schmidt explains how climate models are becoming an essential tool for politicians and policymakers

The road to sustainability

Oct 1, 2009 1 comment Feature

"Sustainability" is the hottest topic in energy research today, but what does it actually mean? George Crabtree and John Sarrao describe what makes a technology sustainable, and outline the materials-science challenges standing between us and clean, long-lasting energy

Publicize or perish

Oct 1, 2009 16 comments Opinion

Joseph Romm urges scientists to do much more to warn the public of the dangers of climate change

Web life: Clim'City

Oct 1, 2009 2 comments Review

Try the game that lets you stave off climate change

Challenges in tackling climate change

Oct 1, 2009 5 comments Opinion

In order to limit global warming by reducing carbon emissions, Lord Browne argues that the biggest barriers to a low-carbon economy in the UK are not scientific or technological but political

Plan B for climate change

Sep 2, 2009 8 comments Opinion

Techniques to manipulate the Earth's climate are now rightly entering mainstream debate

Engineering the climate

Sep 1, 2009 11 comments Feature

Geoengineering has so far been something of a taboo topic for climate scientists. Peter Cox and Hazel Jeffery explain why it is now time to take it seriously

The Earth – for physicists

Jul 31, 2009 6 comments Feature

Scientists are beginning to understand the extent to which the evolution of our planet has been shaped by collisions, bombardments and catastrophes. John Baez tells the violent history of a pale-blue dot

The power of robotics

Jun 2, 2009 2 comments Opinion

Robotics competitions supply a vital missing link in science and engineering education, says Robert P Crease

Web life: Hyperphysics

May 1, 2009 1 comment Review

Doing science in the open

May 1, 2009 12 comments Feature

Online networking tools are pervasive, but why have scientists been so slow to adopt many of them? Michael Nielsen explains how we can build a better culture of online collaboration

In search of the black swans

Apr 1, 2009 14 comments Feature

The publish-or-perish ethic too often favours a narrow and conservative approach to scientific innovation. Mark Buchanan asks whether we are pushing revolutionary ideas to the margins

Breaking new ground

Jan 5, 2009 2 comments Feature

The ability to predict earthquakes could save thousands of lives every year. But for most scientists, knowing in advance when and where such events will happen is little more than a pipe dream. Jon Cartwright tells the story of one physicist who believes that such warnings could soon be possible.