News Items

The Department of Energy announced Friday that Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has formed a Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future as part of President Obama’s efforts to restart America’s nuclear industry. The 15 member commission includes Carnegie president Richard A. Meserve. The body is chartered to review policies to manage nuclear waste in light of the administration’s decision not to proceed with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository program.

Are there dark galaxies? How does bioelectricity promise more miles per acre than ethanol? And what are slow earthquakes? Find out about these questions and much more in the fall 2009 CarnegieScience.

In a recent interview, scientist and director of Carnegie's Department of Global Ecology, Chris Field, describes the historic shift taking place in the production of greenhouse gases. As their economies industrialize, developing nations are overtaking the industrialized world in production of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases. Developing nations don't, however, have the resources to invest in pollution-reducing technologies. Dr. Field discusses the challenges involved and the avenues of cooperation that are possible. The interview was given to EarthSky,  "A Clear Voice for Science."

Seismologist and geophysicist Paul Gordon Silver, at Terrestrial Magnetism, died in an automobile accident in North Carolina on August 7, 2009, as he was driving his daughter Celine back from a research internship in Florida. Celine perished in the crash as well.