Greenhouse gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to climate change. One of the most common greenhouse gases is methane. In the United States, cars and industry are the primary sources of greenhouse gases. In Africa, which has more agriculture than industry, burping cows are the main producers of methane gas. Researchers have found that African and American cows are actually quite different from each other in the amount of methane in their burps. African scientists are studying how cows’ diets affect their methane production. Listen to hear how cow burps affect the environment.
Story Length: 2:48
Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234
March 3, 2016
4:26
America's dairy farms today have fewer cows, but those cows are producing more milk than ever before. The dairy cows are being bred to be larger, hungrier, and more productive. The focus on genetics to produce more milk has raised concern among livestock advocates. There are criticisms that the trade-offs are not worth it. Some think that finding ways to keep the cows content will increase milk production. Listen to learn more about the debate about genetics and dairy cows.
Read MoreMay 22, 2015
4:30
Greenhouse gas emissions in March were some of the highest ever recorded on the planet in millions of years. Carbon dioxide emissions have built up over time and increased the saturation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere up to 400 parts per million. Listen to learn about how scientists are able to determine past levels of carbon dioxide and measure this current trend.
Read More