Author Archives: Kit Stolz

The Titanic/global warming analogy takes a dramatic turn

Last week The New Yorker led off with an uncharacteristically labored analogy/editorial from Adam Gopnik, who pointed out that the Titanic had a twin sister, the Olympic, which sailed unharmed through the frozen northern seas for decades and (he suggested) so could we.  "It reminds us that our imagination of disaster is dangerously more fertileContinue reading “The Titanic/global warming analogy takes a dramatic turn”

Polar Vortex images (from first week of 2013)

A number of publications last week published compendiums of amazing images from the polar vortex's drunken stagger, in Chris Mooney's wonderful story, across nearly all the nation save drought-stricken CA. Frozen lakes, waterfalls, etc. Here's NASA's GOES satellite picture: Fine. But what about the vortex of public reaction? Tom Toles sketches that one:

A national hazard map for earthquakes in SoCal: VC Star

A few days after publishing my shockingly popular story on the Ventura fault last week, and thinking of the upcoming twenty-year anniversary of the Northridge quake, the Ventura County Star followed up with a brief story on seismic risk in Southern Califonia, quoting some of the same experts I qutoed. The new story can beContinue reading “A national hazard map for earthquakes in SoCal: VC Star”

Ventura stands on deep, dangerous fault system: VC Star

Several new studies funded by the Southern California Earthquake Center have identified Ventura as a hot spot for geological activity, with a fault running directly under downtown potentially far more dangerous than previously believed.

If the fault ruptures along its length and involves other faults, it could cause a major earthquake and massive damage, with the possibility of a strong local tsunami, researchers say.

Connecting global warming and California drought

What is causing the drought in the West? Could it be a jetstream phenomenon connected to the cold winter being experienced back East? Which could be connected to blockages interrupting the polar vortex, causing it to spill southward into places like the Ohio Valley? And could those blockages be connected — as researchers such asContinue reading “Connecting global warming and California drought”

How nicotine builds addictive structures in the brain

Cigarettes are evil.  What is evil? "Evil is movement towards void," said (memorably) the novelist Don Delillo. In the context of cigarettes, evil is intending to push users towards the void — to sicken or kill them.   But how can a naturally occuring substance, a venerable plant such as tobacco, express malice? Here's howContinue reading “How nicotine builds addictive structures in the brain”

If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)

Back in l988, physicist/climatologist James Hansen told Congress that that we had begun to change the earth's atmosphere. This was during a heat wave in Washington, and his testimony made headlines. That's rare for a scientist of any sort.  "Global warming has began, Expert tells Senate" reported the NYTimes.  "It's time to stop waffling soContinue reading “If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)”