TILclimate

The Earth naturally absorbs some of our climate pollution from burning fossil fuels. But how much, and how fast? Geophysicist Prof. Daniel Rothman joins the podcast to explain the nature and scale of the natural carbon cycle, and how our appetite for fossil fuels has pushed it out of balance.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerAndrew Moseman, Science ReporterMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Today, companies are storing millions of tons of carbon dioxide underground every year to prevent this climate pollution from warming the planet. In the future it might be billions of tons. But is it dangerous to pump so much liquefied carbon below our feet? Geologist and carbon storage expert Prof. Bradford Hager joins the podcast to explain the risks and how to avoid them.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerLindsay Fendt, Science ReporterMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

What if there was a way to continue using fossil fuels for energy without emitting CO2 into the atmosphere? To prepare for a new listener question about carbon capture, we're re-airing this season two episode in which Dr. Howard Herzog and Professor Brad Hager talk about capturing, using, and storing carbon emissions, and how it fits into a clean energy future.

Is hydrogen fuel a climate solution? That depends on how you produce it. Dr. Emre Gençer of the MIT Energy Initiative takes us on a tour of the hydrogen spectrum, from climate-polluting “gray” hydrogen made from natural gas to the much more promising “green” hydrogen made with renewable electricity.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Just 20 years ago, hydrogen cars and battery electric cars were pretty evenly matched as clean alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. But today, batteries are way ahead: the big car companies are rapidly electrifying their lineups, while only a few hydrogen cars are available. What happened? Sergey Paltsev, senior research scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative, helps TILclimate answer this listener question. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerAndrew Moseman, Science ReporterMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Hydrogen gas acts like a fossil fuel, but with no carbon emissions. Is it the silver bullet we’ve been waiting for? To prepare for some new listener questions about hydrogen energy, we're re-airing this season four episode in which Prof. Svetlana Ikonnikova of the Technical University of Munich explains how hydrogen works and its potential in the energy transition.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit:  https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e4-introduction-hydrogen-energy-re-airFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerAndrew Moseman, Science ReporterMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol 

Wind power is the largest source of clean, renewable energy in the United States. But the large turbines that create that power can endanger wildlife. MIT Professor Michael Howland returns to the podcast to answer a listener's question about the risks of wind energy to birds—and explain how wind turbines compare to coal plants, power lines, office towers, housecats, and other threats to birdlife in the modern world.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

You might have heard how wind turbines failed in Texas during a terrible cold front in 2021. Does this mean we can’t rely on this clean, renewable source of energy when the weather turns extreme? MIT Professor Michael Howland joins the podcast to explain how wind turbine operators prepare for frigid conditions, and why some turbines failed in Texas while others are working fine in Antarctica.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Plants take in CO2 from the air to grow—and today’s atmosphere has about 50% more CO2 than it did before we started burning massive amounts of fossil fuels. So, is that great news for plants? Prof. David Des Marais, a plant ecologist at MIT, helps answer this listener question.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.  CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Writer and ProducerAndrew Moseman, Science ReporterMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

The sixth season of Today I Learned: Climate is coming in two weeks, and this time we’re doing something a little different. People all around the world write into our team with questions about climate change. So this season, we’re working with scientists and experts at MIT and beyond, to answer those questions in language we can all understand.

The United States has a goal to power the country with 100% clean electricity by 2035. Unfortunately, our energy regulations are not set up to make this much change this quickly. Energy economist John Parsons of MIT joins the show to explain how much clean energy infrastructure we need to build, the obstacles to building it, and reform ideas to transform our energy system on the timeline our climate goals demand.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e8-why-does-it-take-five-years-build-wind-farmFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

The large majority of new energy we’re building today comes from clean, renewable wind and solar projects. But to keep building wind and solar at this pace, we need energy storage: technologies that save energy when the weather is favorable, and use it when wind and sun are scarce. Prof. Asegun Henry joins TILclimate to explain how energy storage works, what storage technologies are out there, and how much we need to build to make wind and solar dominant.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e7-energy-storage-keeping-lights-clean-electric-gridFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

We all want to live full, healthy lives. But climate change is threatening a growing number of people’s lives and well-being. Amruta Nori-Sarma, assistant professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health, joins the show to help us see climate change not in tons of carbon dioxide, but as a matter of health.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e6-public-health-experts-guide-climate-changeFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

We were going to produce an episode on El Niño, and its relationship to climate change. And then we found out that Outside/In, from New Hampshire Public Radio, already did that. And they did a really good job. So please enjoy this episode of Outside/In, where you'll learn what El Niño is, how to tell if extreme weather events are caused by climate change or by El Niño, and what the powerful El Niño event of 2023 can tell us about our climate future.Outside/In is a production of NHPR, New Hampshire Public Radio, a podcast where curiosity and the natural world collide. In addition to their regular program, they have run special limited series covering issues from the offshore wind industry to lawns and gardens to Canadian hydropower. Learn more at outsideinradio.org.

If you live in the U.S. Mountain West, the Pacific Coast of the Americas, or large parts of Australia or southern Europe, there’s a good chance a major wildfire has passed near you in the last five or six years—maybe one more intense than anything you’ve ever heard of in your area. But why exactly are wildfires getting worse? Is climate change entirely to blame? And what should we be preparing for next? Dr. Daniel Swain joins the TILclimate podcast to help break down what is going on with wildfires and climate change.  For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e5-wildfires-and-how-were-changing-themFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Today we’re talking about desalination: turning saltwater into freshwater, so we can drink it or use it to grow crops. And we’re talking about this because, in many parts of the world, freshwater is getting harder to come by. So… is converting saltwater a good solution? Our guest Prof. John Leinhard has devoted his whole career to this question—and its relationship with climate change.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e4-can-desalination-solve-water-scarcityFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Refrigerants are in every refrigerator, freezer and air conditioner, and the world is on track to make a lot more of them in the years to come. They’re also powerful greenhouse gases: often thousands of times more warming than carbon dioxide. Prof. Ronald Prinn, an expert in the physics and chemistry of our climate system, joins TILclimate to discuss the past, present and future of how these chemicals affect our planet.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e3-dont-throw-away-your-refrigeratorFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

Carbon dioxide—CO2—is the greenhouse gas you’ve probably heard most about, on this podcast and elsewhere. But it turns out, methane is an incredibly important greenhouse gas too. Stopping methane emissions today is a powerful way to dampen climate change in the very near term—to keep the Earth cooler in the next 10 or 20 years. So today, Prof. Desiree Plata returns to TILclimate to tell us—how do we get that done?For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e2-how-tackling-methane-cools-planet-fastFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

You probably know that today’s climate change is caused by certain gases—what scientists call greenhouse gases—that human activity has been adding to our atmosphere. But—how do these gases actually keep heat from escaping into space? And why these gases in particular? To help answer these questions, we invited Desiree Plata, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT and the director of the MIT Methane Network.For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/wait-how-do-greenhouse-gases-actually-warm-planetFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerAaron Krol, Scriptwriter and Associate ProducerIlana Hirschfeld, Production AssistantSylvia Scharf, Education SpecialistMichelle Harris, Fact CheckerMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol

This is MIT’s climate change podcast, Today I Learned: Climate. If you're looking to get smart quick on climate change – without the jargon and without the politicking – this podcast is for you! In each episode, we work with experts at MIT and beyond to explain climate change science and solutions in fifteen minutes or less.On October 5, TILclimate is returning for our fifth season! We’ll give you the straight answers to things like:What are the two biggest hurdles to getting all our energy from wind and solar – and how do we overcome them?Why are so many people talking about methane gas these days?Can’t we just get all our water from the ocean?What makes some greenhouse gases more concerning than others?And much more. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come.