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That Delicious Smell May Be Impacting Air Quality
by Chelsea Thompson and Theo Stein

A new study finds that air pollutants emitted from food cooking can account for nearly a quarter of human-caused volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dense urban areas.

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A volcanic eruption sent enough water vapor into the stratosphere to cause a rapid change in chemistry
by Chelsea Thompson and Theo Stein

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on 15 January 2022 produced the largest underwater explosion ever recorded by modern scientific instruments, blasting an enormous amount of water and volcanic gases higher than any other eruption in the satellite era.

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NOAA scientists link exotic metal particles in the upper atmosphere to rockets, satellites
by Chelsea Thompson and Theo Stein

NOAA scientists investigating the stratosphere have found that in addition to meteoric 'space dust,' the atmosphere more than seven miles above the surface is peppered with particles containing a variety of metals from satellites and spent rocket boosters vaporized by the intense heat of re-entry.

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For Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, All Strategies are Not Created Equal
by Chelsea Thompson and Theo Stein

A new study finds that injecting SO2 at higher latitudes, rather than in the tropics, could mitigate some undesirable side effects of SAI – but all options come with trade-offs.

© 2025 by Chelsea R. Thompson

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