National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Photo: U.S. Coal-Burning Boom Drastically Warmed Arctic


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Soot emissions from U.S. coal burning before 1950 drastically warmed the Arctic, a new study says.

Modern coal plants in the U.S. (above) often use technology to cut down on soot emissions, but the pollutant's effects on Arctic warming may continue as booming Asian countries turn increasingly to coal to power their economies.

Photograph by Peter Essick/Aurora/Getty