CO2 in the air: Carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere has hit a new high

CO2 in the air: Carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere has hit a new high

6/8/21 8:00PM

The latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) makes for grim reading. The NOAA reveals that the amount of Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere averaged 419 parts per million in May — the highest reading on record.

Not only is that the highest reading on record, it's also way above any previous peaks from the last 800,000 years, which scientists are able to estimate by using air bubbles that have been trapped in mile-thick ice cores. Some estimates suggest that 419ppm hasn't been seen in Earth's atmosphere for an even longer time period — potentially millions of years.

The fact that the pandemic reduced human emissions by 6-7% was good news, but it still meant that we collectively pumped millions of kilograms of CO2 into our atmosphere.

P.S. National Geographic has a good 2 minute refresher video on global warming, and how CO2 contributes to it.

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Tom Jones7/10/26

The most watched soccer match in US history got less than a third of the views the Super Bowl did

Between a top-spot finish in the group stage, a sweeping performance against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, and the president’s controversial intervention, Monday evening’s USMNT game against Belgium had, to put it lightly, shaped up into a box-office clash.

And though the US players’ performance on the pitch might not have lived up to the high drama off it, American soccer fans certainly showed up. According to early estimates, the 4-1 defeat against Belgium was the most watched soccer telecast in US history, hauling some 40 million viewers on average across the coverage on Fox and Telemundo.

That may be a record tally in the US for the sport that much of the world calls some variant of “football” — besting the 36.2 million who tuned in to watch the team’s previous knock-out match — but it’s still peanuts in comparison to the sport that shares the same name in the States.

World cup viewers chart — Sherwood News

burning question

Over 50% of Americans say climate change is a serious threat; only 10% think their compatriots feel the same

That perception gap on the issue is among the highest in the world, per a new Gallup poll.

Youth Climate Strikes Break Out Across The U.S.

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Reddit’s advertising business is getting bigger. It’s already booming.

The platform will plow more money into its ad offerings as it cements itself as a “trove of human intelligence.”

Tom Jones6/22/26

45% of Americans say they’re not taking a summer vacation this year, mostly due to costs

Flight comparison site Skyscanner is recommending some cheaper alternatives closer to home.

Bored annoyed man looking funny and angry during his summer staycations

Despite slight declines, Japanese tourism figures are still hovering around record highs

Tourism: Still big in Japan.

Aerial view of Tokyo cityscape with Fuji mountain in Japan.

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