A new study of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet's response to past warm periods has unsettling implications for the magnitude and timing of sea level rise as global warming continues. Until recently, most of scientists' concerns were about the instability of Greenland and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but that is starting to change.
Why it matters: The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, reveals the history of ice retreat and expansion in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin, in the southeastern corner of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The fate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet represents one of the largest uncertainties in climate science.
Trump resumed his attacks on OPEC Thursday morning amid oil prices that have climbed to their highest level in two months.
"We protect the countries of the Middle East, they would not be safe for very long without us, and yet they continue to push for higher and higher oil prices! We will remember. The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now!"
— President Trump
Quick take: With the caveat that it’s quite possible to over-interpret Trump’s tweets, today's action underscores the tricky oil politics facing the White House.
It turns out scooter rentals are popular: Lime and Bird have each already crossed the 10 million ride mark, with Lime recently reaching 11.5 million (including bike rides).
Why it matters: Scooter rentals are seen as the "new ride-hailing" by investors and users alike, the former chasing the next transportation hit and the latter looking for an easy alternative to auto traffic. At least for now, it looks like Bird and Lime are neck and neck in the race.
Some of America’s most powerful U.S.-based oil companies — ExxonMobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum — are joining a global consortium of oil and gas producers seeking to address climate change, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The companies are the first U.S.-based members of the group, called the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative. This is one of the strongest signs yet of how America’s biggest oil companies, under pressure from investors and lawsuits, are joining most other U.S. corporations in working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions despite President Trump reversing America’s course on the matter.
Hurricane Florence's rains have finally left the Carolinas, but the risks there are growing with rising rivers.
The big picture: Florence's death toll had risen to nearly 40 by Wednesday, with the storm shattering rainfall records in the Carolinas and ranking as an event that had less than a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year. (In other words, this was a 1,000-year event for many.) Floodwaters have breached at least two storage facilities for coal ash, and hog farms that dot the landscape of eastern North Carolina are reportedly leaking waste into floodwaters.
Dan talks about how cities are cracking down on electric scooter companies, like Bird and Lime:
"Why it matters is that, until a few years ago, cities hadn’t undergone a major transportation shift since horses gave way to cars. But now those changes are coming fast and furious, from ride-hail to self-driving to scooters. And each regulatory reaction, each incremental step, could set precedent for the next change."
Tesla has lost over $10 billion in market cap since Elon Musk's infamous — and false — claim, related to his efforts to take the company private.
The big picture: Both Musk and Tesla are now under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice, in addition to a continuing investigation by the SEC. The real fear now, for Tesla, its shareholders and its fanboys is that the government could find some sort of accounting or management problems that have nothing to do with the take-private fiasco.
E-scooter rental startups are facing strict limits and barriers in a number of cities, but venture capitalists still say their astronomical valuations for companies like Bird and Lime are reasonable.
The bottom line: Investors believe the restrictions are temporary.
Imagine being Elon Musk — a billionaire who's started two of the world's most famous companies, but now faces self-created blowback leading to a never-ending string of bad publicity and circling stock market sharks.
The big picture: Musk and Tesla face legal problems on several fronts and the company is bleeding key talent. Meanwhile, newer players are emerging in the electric vehicle market as established automakers like Audi are readying new offerings.
