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Did climate change do that? Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

A new type of climate science is allowing us to draw clearer connections between our warming planet, and the extreme weather events this warming creates. Thanks to “climate change attribution,” scientists can now say confidently when climate change has made a heatwave or hurricane more likely, and by how much. Dr. Andrew Pershing explains how attribution science works, and why this information is useful for understanding and adapting to a warming world.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e3-did-climate-change-do

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor

Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Hasn't the climate changed before? Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

The Earth has gone through massive climate change before—many times over, in fact!—but human civilization has not. Prof. David McGee, a specialist in the study of ancient climates, joins the show to explain what came before the 10,000 years of global stability in which complex human societies emerged and grew. Along the way, we explore the scientific tools used to study the distant past, the great cycles of the ice ages, and what it can all tell us about the climate change we’re experiencing today.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e2-hasnt-climate-changed

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor

Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Farm to table, with a side of fossil fuels Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

The way we grow and distribute food today is deeply dependent on fossil fuels, yet that dependence can feel invisible. Sustainable food systems researcher Prof. Jennifer Clapp joins the show to walk us through all the ways fossil fuels are used to produce one simple food item: a tortilla chip. Along the way, we’ll explore the hard work being done to eliminate climate pollution from the food we eat.

For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e1-farm-table-side-fossil-fuels

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits
Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor
Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer
David Lishansky, Editor and Producer
Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant
Michelle Harris, Fact Checker
Music by Blue Dot Sessions
Artwork by Aaron Krol

2°C: the story of the global climate goal Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

The landmark Paris Agreement of 2015 gave the world a shared target for halting climate change: that global warming should stop well short of 2 degrees Celsius. But how did that target come about, and what exactly does it mean? Prof. Maria Ivanova, a specialist in international environmental policy, shares with us the history and diplomacy behind those crucial 2 degrees.

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.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Slow carbon, fast carbon May 30, 2024

Show notes

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.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Is it safe to store CO2 underground? May 23, 2024

Show notes

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.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

An introduction to carbon capture (re-air) May 16, 2024

Show notes

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.

How clean is green hydrogen? May 09, 2024

Show notes

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.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Why are EVs more popular than hydrogen cars? May 02, 2024

Show notes

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.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

An introduction to hydrogen energy (re-air) Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

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-air

For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu.

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer

Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter

Michelle Harris, Fact Checker

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol