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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Scientists predict that over the course of this century, suburban and urban areas in the U.S. will grow by an area about the size of South Dakota. That's an awful lot of blacktop, adding to scientists' worries that the growth of cities could exacerbate the impact of climate change. While CO2 emissions and other gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect are more well-known drivers of climate change, the heat trapped by blacktop and roofs can also affect the temperatures in cities and regions. Brian Stone, director of the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech, says that while reducing emissions is important, addressing "urban heat islands" can be just as important. "There are many things you can do in cities that can also slow the pace of warming without reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It's not the only tool we have for reducing warming," points out Stone.
