Abstract
An examination of the climatic global changes taking place. The author discusses the types of climatic changes occurring and their effects on certain geographical areas and on the environment. Also, a look at their long term impacts on society as a whole.

From the Paper
"Since the mid-1970's, scientists reported, the average global surface temperature has increased at a rate of about 3.5 degrees per century -- about the same rate estimated for the 21st century if emissions of waste industrial gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are not reduced. By comparison, the world has warmed by 5 to 9 degrees since the depths of the last ice age, 18,000 to 20,000 years ago."

Tags:geography, environment

Abstract
This is a case study about the damage oils spill can cause to society. The author discusses the economic, ethical and legal implication of oil spills. Furthermore, he introduces Kant's and Rawls' philosophical theories on ethics and provides an example of Ashland official behavior during oil spills to support his argument.

From the Paper
"Balancing profit and ethical behavior is one of the hardest things that a company has to try to do. In the case of Ashland, company officials failed to act with sufficient care, thoughtfulness and foresight to prevent environmental tragedy. It was this kind of deregulation that of course marked the entire Reagan era in American politics and the environmental consequences of which we are still paying for. "

Tags:petroleum, products, environment, public, companies, officials, Ashland, human, morality, critical, judgment

Abstract
This paper is an in-depth look at the Galveston hurricane, the path it followed, the conditions and characteristics of the storm. The author discusses the loss of life and damage caused by the hurricane, as well as the cleanup efforts by the city and future precautions taken after the devastation in Texas.

From the Paper
"On August 27th, 1900, meteorologists began to notice a small storm developing in the equatorial mid-Atlantic. Still getting organized, it drifted westward through the Greater Antilles with moderate winds and torrential rains. In Jamaica, miles of roadway, railroad tracks, and sidewalk were washed into the ocean. Cuba was submerged in over two feet of rainwater, and much of southern Florida faced the wrath of the hurricane, as well. As it crossed over the tepid waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the storm gained strength, eventually making its way to the shores of Galveston, Texas."

Tags:disaster, gulf, storm, surge, texas, tropical, miles, hour

Abstract
The paper looks at the Viking landing missions on Mars twenty years ago and their tests for biological processes on the Martian surface. It looks at how a recent series of orbiting Martian missions has yielded a good deal of chemical and geographic observations from afar. The most exciting possibilities have come from the analysis and interpretation of Martian surface formations seen by these missions. The paper includes a detailed description of these formations such as outflow channels, seepage gullies and several others. In further searches for definitive findings, several missions in the near future will land on Mars and hopefully provide the best data yet. This paper details some of the discoveries made to date, the strongest arguments for water on Mars and what the future holds for Martian exploration.

From the Paper
"The thought of life on Mars has intrigued humans for centuries. As Martian astronomy has made incredible leaps in the past 100 years and many spectacular discoveries have been made, we are still not sure if life does or has ever existed on Mars. Over the last thirty years, as our knowledge of biological functions has increased, scientists have focused more and more on the existence of liquid water as the biggest single indicator of possible life. To that end, much work and controversy has surrounded man's efforts to find evidence of that all important ingredient for the development of life on Mars."

Tags:atmosphere, carbon, dioxide, earth, lunar, nasa, odyssey, orbit, planet, rover, solar, space, sun, system

From the Paper
"This paper will be concerned with earthquakes caused by the San Andreas Fault in the state of California. There are numerous earthquake fault systems to be found throughout California; however, the San Andreas Fault is by far the largest and "most conspicuous in the state".

Approximately 650 miles long, it is clearly the longest fault in the state. In addition, it is one of the deepest, dropping as far as 20 or 30 miles into the earth's crust at certain points. The San Andreas Fault varies widely in width throughout its stretch. In some sections, the fault is less than 100 yards wide. However, in other locations, the San Andreas Fault is "several hundred yards to a mile or more in width and is interlaced with any number of sub-parallel fault lines". The San Andreas Fault basically runs along the Coast Mountains which follow the ... "

Abstract
The factors responsible for the reef devastation are directly attributed to human actions. This paper looks at the questions surrounding this destruction and offers many examples of why and what is causing the reef's destruction. In the end, the author recommends ways in which the destruction may be halted.

From the Paper
"For the last fifty years marine biologists have chronicled the deterioration and destruction of corals on reef systems worldwide. Coral reefs provide sanctuary for over a fourth of the world's marine fish species and consist of as much biodiversity as tropical rainforests. Unfortunately, both are now disappearing at an astounding rate"

Tags:algae, band, black, bleaching, bloom, coral, disease

Abstract
This paper deals with both the scientific and political details of global warming. The author describes how global warming is a disturbing and controversial trend that has received increased attention in recent years and how politics often come into play when dealing with international global warming issues.

From the paper:

"Global warming has been a topic of scientific research and debate for decades. In recent years there has been a significant increase in public and political concern over the issue. Many people wonder if global warming is nearly as bad as scientists claim it is. Some question its very existence, insisting that the world is wasting its time and money researching the effects of global warming. Although many people believe that global warming is not a problem, it is an important issue because there are international complications, there is sufficient evidence of its existence, and it is a potentially dangerous situation."

Tags:alternate, atmosphere, atmospheric, caps, carbon, change, climate, depletion, dioxide, effect, forest, gas, greenpeace, house, kyoto, melting, methane, monoxide, polar, temperature

Abstract
The writer gives a background of the Big Bang Theory and explores the theory as an explanation of the beginning of the universe. However, since the 1940s and the introduction of this theory, scientists have raised questions as to the validity of the explanation and continue to research other ways in which the universe might have been created. The paper traces some of this research.

From the Paper
"One such area of research has been the model for the expansion of the universe and so for the Big Bang. One theory offered to explain this is the inflationary model, and over the last two decades what has happened to this model shows some of the ways scientific truth is pursued and fine-tuned. Alan Guth developed the idea in 1979 and wrote it in his notebook. Inflation was the name for the mechanism Guth proposed for igniting cosmic expansion and which might have operated for as little as 10-35 seconds. Still, it would have whipped up all the matter and energy in the universe and laid the seeds for galaxies and galaxy clusters in that brief time, and in that time the universe would have blossomed exponentially from as small as 10-24 centimeters across to perhaps the size of a pumpkin. Michael Turner of the University of Chicago describes inflation as "the most important idea in cosmology since that of the big bang itself.""

Tags:universe, creation, science, astronomy, research

Abstract
This paper explains how a hurricane forms, looks at the special and unlikely circumstances which led to the devastating effects of Hurricane Andrew, and describes the damage caused in various states and why faulty building techniques were partially to blame.

From the paper:

"David Fisher?s book on hurricanes describes a Category 5 hurricane as the ?scariest place on Earth, and Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane when it hit both south Florida and Louisiana.
A hurricane is a giant heat pump (Fisher, p. 61). Both the heat of the sun and the heat generated as evaporated moisture condenses contribute to the development of the hurricane. As the spinning winds contract, they speed up, much as a skater speeds up by pulling her arms in more tightly to her sides. Organization of the storm also requires an upper level high over a lower-level low, which allows the tropical depression to organize into a well formed, rotating tropical storm. If these conditions persist, the tropical storm may strengthen into a hurricane."

Tags:pressure, clouds, ocean, wind, damage, storm

Abstract
The following paper examines both sides of the global warming issue. The writer discusses the first issue, by making reference to ecological perspectives that claim that certain human activity such as population growth, deforestation, and fossil fuel burning, have lead to increasing solar radiation or heat in the earth's atmosphere, thus increasing the natural temperature of the earth. The paper also deals with the reverse argument which questions whether humans are really increasing the earth's temperature at a alarming rate, or whether humanity is just a ripple in the earth's pool of history, and warmth is simply nature taking its course.

From the Paper
"Global warming is a very important environmental issue concerning the world today and the future of humanity. The issue with global warming is certain human activity such as population growth, deforestation, and fossil fuel burning, have lead some scientists to hypothesize that humans are increasing solar radiation or heat in the earth s atmosphere, thus increasing the natural temperature of the earth. Some greenhouse gases are naturally produced in the Earth s atmosphere from water vapor, and carbon dioxide. The earth s history also shows how the overall temperature of the earth s surface has fluctuated throughout its existence. A problem that arises with the global warming debate is weather patterns have only been traced back to about one hundred and fifty years; therefore it is hard to predict the outcome of the future with such a short past. Another argument surrounding global warming is, are humans really increasing the earth s temperature at a alarming rate, or is humanity just a ripple in the earth s pool of history, and this warmth is nature taking its course? The answers to these questions depend on who you ask, or your view of nature s role on earth."