As the new year approaches, crowds around the world may be expecting whizzes and bangs to light up the sky. The appeal of fireworks could fade out with the growing use of drones (无人机)for light shows, though.

Ollie Howitt, a leader of Sky Magic, which used a team of 300 drones to create a display for London’s new year celebration last year, said the demand had increased dramatically. “We do think it’s going to be something ever-eye catching rather than being a short-lived sort of fashion people have suddenly got interested in. Drones are reusable and there’s no fallout. In that sense, they’re a very good, sustainable option.” she said.

But not everyone agrees. A spokesperson from the British Fireworks Association said drones could also pose environmental problems. “Drones have less an impact on the environment, but we have serious concerns about electrical demand and the use of lithium batteries which are known not to be much that ‘green’,” they said.

An RSPCA spokesperson said that while drones tried to reduce the impact of displays on animals, there were downsides. “Drones are not without their own negative issues such as scaring horses or crashing into birds, and can cause disturbance to animals and members of the public. Therefore, it’s important for their effects to be fully considered and measures taken to minimize the chance of accidents.” they said.

Some express the opinion that the use of fireworks and drones don’t conflict with each other. The sight, sound and gunpowder smell of fireworks will always provide its own unique thrill.

“We find fireworks work really well when teamed up with drones. But we don’t really see it as a one-replacing-the-other at all. We feel as if it’s merely another tool to light the sky.” said Howitt, noting that while fireworks give a loud, emotive, big performance, drones offer the chance to tell stories in the sky by using a series of images.

The oceans play a crucial role in lightening global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions. However, in a study conducted by the University of Texas, researchers found that the oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) would reach its maximum by 2100 and decrease to half of its current efficiency by 2300, based on a climate simulation (模拟) that was set for a worst-case emissions scenario (设想).

The decline happens because of a surface layer of low-alkalinity (碱度) water that can hinder the ability of the oceans to absorb CO₂. Alkalinity affects how much CO₂ can dissolve in seawater. Although the emissions scenario used in the study is unlikely because of global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the findings reveal a previously unknown tipping point that if activated would release an important brake on global warming.

“We need to think about these worst-case scenarios to understand how our CO₂ emissions might affect the oceans not just this century, but next century and the following centuries. Climate simulations had previously shown that the oceans slow their absorption of CO₂ over time, but none had considered alkalinity as an explanation. We recalculated pieces of a 450-year simulation until we hit on alkalinity as a key cause of the slowing.” said Megumi Chikamoto, who led the research at the University of Texas Institute.

The effect begins with extreme climate change, which slows ocean currents. This leaves the surface of the oceans covered in a warm layer of fresh water that won’t mix easily with the cooler, more al kaline waters below it. That means more of it is left behind in the atmosphere. This in turn produces faster warming, which sustains and strengthens the low-alkalinity surface layer. Co-author, Pedro DiNezio, said that the discovery was a powerful reminder that the world needs to reduce its CO₂ emissions to avoid crossing this and other tipping points.

A volcano is an opening in the Earth’s surface. Through that opening, red-hot rock and hot gases escape. This can be a sudden and thunderous puff of ash and gas, or it can be a continuous flow of lava (岩浆) destroying everything in its path. The danger of a volcano may explain why its importance are often ignored. They exist for hundreds of thousands of years, and the gases they release come from the inside of our planet. They are probably the very gases that created Earth’s atmosphere (大气层) billions of years ago. Both awful and amazing, volcanoes have much more to offer than other geographical events.

Volcanic regions are hotbeds of biodiversity. The lava islands of the Galapagos in the Eastern Pacific are textbook examples in action. As lava hardens and begins to erode (风化) over the course of years or centuries, the nutrients and minerals from the volcanoes create rich soil.Some of the world’s most productive regions for farming, such as in Indonesia and Central build up underground aquifers (含水层). For example, without the Tibesti and its five volcanoes in the north of Chad and in southern Libya, the eastern Sahara would be even drier.

Volcanoes also produce geothermal energy, which makes up significant shares of electricity supply in a growing number of countries, including EI Salvador, Kenya and New Zealand. The most common type of volcanic rock, basalt (玄武岩), is capable of permanently trapping (卡住) carbon dioxide. This will make volcanoes an important player in the game of catching and storing carbon. Long viewed as a fearsome enemy of humankind, volcanoes may yet become a savior.