Misconceptions About Climate Change

    

     One of the most common misconceptions about climate change is that people state it does not exist. There’s been enough evidence provided by the NASA, among these we find:

•        The Melting of Ice Sheets:  The Greenland and Antarctic have decreased in mass. Data from NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Recovery, show Greenland lost about 150 to 250 cubic kilometers of ice per year between 2002 and 2006.

•         Sea Level Rises: this is a direct consequence of the melting of ice sheets. Global sea level rose about eight inches in the last century. The rate in the last two decades however, is nearly the double of that. Sea levels rise cause inundation of coastal habitats for humans as well as for plants and animals. Erosion of the earth, and more catastrophes that can devastate low-luring areas. 
•  Glacial Retreat: here in the picture is an example for severe glacial retreat. The picture shows New Zealand Fox Glacier from 2005 to 2010, observe how the ice has literally melted, and imagine how it must be looking now.

       
    

How Google X is creating ways to combat Climate Change

Google X, or simply "X" is a moonshot branch that was created by Google in order to find creative solutions to fix many of the problems going on in today's society. Google X has created multiple projects ever since it was founded in 2010. From Google Glass, to delivering Internet to developing countries using weather balloons. Perhaps one of the most interesting projects under the X labs has been one known as project Foghorn. The premise of Project Foghorn consisted in taking Carbon Dioxide(CO2) emmissions that are left in the ocean and converting it into fuel. Carbon Dioxide in the oceans can play a big role in the foundation of hurricanes. By following with this, They would have helped reduce CO2 emmissions and would have created an alternative form of fuel, one that's much nicer to the planet than fossil fuels.

The Diagram above Illustrates how the process would have worked.

The main issue with Project Foghorn laid around cost. Scientists working on the project realized that the process of desalating the Carbon Dioxide into water would cost far too much. In addition, there aren't many desalation plants in the world right now, so the fuel made for be so significantly small that it would not be worth all the money being poured on the project. However, although the project was put on hold, The team at Google X remains optimistic in finding further ways to help our planet become greener and safer for all of us.

Sources: https://www.fastcompany.com/3064457/why-alphabets-moonshot-factory-killed-off-a-brilliant-carbon-neutral-fuel

https://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/14647/Foghorn--Liquid-Fuel-from-Seawater.aspx