Ask MIT Climate

The eighth season of MIT’s climate change podcast starts next week, and we’ve got some news! TILclimate is now Ask MIT Climate. It’s part of an effort to bring all of our climate change resources under one umbrella and reach learners in as many ways as we can. We’re also diving into video! Find us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @askmitclimate for outtakes, bonus content, and more climate knowledge from MIT. And we love hearing from our listeners; email us at askmitclimate@mit.edu. .

We’re dropping into your feed to share the news that our founding host, Laur Hesse Fisher, is departing MIT and TILclimate. In this episode, Laur sits down with new host Madison Goldberg to talk about the philosophies that have shaped TILclimate over seven seasons and take listeners behind the scenes of the show. They also discuss what’s in store for season eight—because TILclimate isn’t going anywhere. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/update-where-weve-been-and-where-were-going For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Founding Host and Senior Editor Madison Goldberg, Incoming Host and Associate Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Danielle Simpson, Editor Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol Special thanks to Brett Paci of MIT OpenCourseWare and to the folks at Giro Studio for their help producing this episode.

Power lines may not look as high-tech and inspiring as a wind turbine or a solar field. But as MIT’s Joshua Hodge explains, these lines—and the rest of the sprawling “machine” that is the transmission system—are critical for harnessing clean, cheap, reliable power. In this episode of TILclimate, we explore what we stand to gain from a bigger, better transmission system, and how we might make it happen. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e8-transmission-power-people. For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Madison Goldberg, Associate Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Here at TILclimate, we’re often asked about the health and environmental effects of materials in solar panels and batteries. But what if the greatest costs are the ones we’re already bearing—from the fossil fuels those technologies would replace? In this episode, pulmonologist Dr. Mary Rice explains how air pollution from coal, oil, and gas can make us sick, and why a cleaner energy system benefits both the climate and our health. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e7-cleaner-air. For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Madison Goldberg, Associate Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

The world’s demand for batteries to power electric vehicles is growing at incredible speed. What will we do with all these batteries when they die? Dr. Linda Gaines of Argonne National Laboratory joins TILclimate to explain what batteries are made of, how we obtain those materials, and how we can get them back when the batteries reach the end of their lives—along with other options to make this industry less wasteful and more productive. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e6-dealing-dead-batteries For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Madison Goldberg, Associate Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Deep beneath the Earth’s surface, a molten stew of metals radiates vast amounts of energy. Prof. Roland Horne, Director of the Stanford Geothermal Program, joins TILclimate to talk about the “geothermal energy” technologies that tap this underground resource for electricity, manufacturing, and home heating and cooling. He also shares the recent breakthroughs that have begun bringing this always-on, clean, renewable source of energy to new places and applications. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e5-geothermal-earths-infinite-clean-power For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Modern buildings are complex machines, using heating, cooling and a host of other appliances to turn energy into comfort. But that energy comes with a cost: today, our buildings do more to warm the climate than heavy industry, agriculture, or transportation. Prof. Tarek Rakha provides an architect’s view of buildings and the climate, sharing how we can build anew—and upgrade our existing buildings—to use less energy, lower our living costs, benefit the climate, and live more comfortably, all at the same time. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e4-great-indoors For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

A new type of climate science is allowing us to draw clearer connections between our warming planet, and the extreme weather events this warming creates. Thanks to “climate change attribution,” scientists can now say confidently when climate change has made a heatwave or hurricane more likely, and by how much. Dr. Andrew Pershing explains how attribution science works, and why this information is useful for understanding and adapting to a warming world. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e3-did-climate-change-do For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

The Earth has gone through massive climate change before—many times over, in fact!—but human civilization has not. Prof. David McGee, a specialist in the study of ancient climates, joins the show to explain what came before the 10,000 years of global stability in which complex human societies emerged and grew. Along the way, we explore the scientific tools used to study the distant past, the great cycles of the ice ages, and what it can all tell us about the climate change we’re experiencing today. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e2-hasnt-climate-changed For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

The way we grow and distribute food today is deeply dependent on fossil fuels, yet that dependence can feel invisible. Sustainable food systems researcher Prof. Jennifer Clapp joins the show to walk us through all the ways fossil fuels are used to produce one simple food item: a tortilla chip. Along the way, we’ll explore the hard work being done to eliminate climate pollution from the food we eat. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e1-farm-table-side-fossil-fuels For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Climate Project, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Senior Editor Aaron Krol, Writer and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Grace Sawin, Student Production Assistant Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

The landmark Paris Agreement of 2015 gave the world a shared target for halting climate change: that global warming should stop well short of 2 degrees Celsius. But how did that target come about, and what exactly does it mean? Prof. Maria Ivanova, a specialist in international environmental policy, shares with us the history and diplomacy behind those crucial 2 degrees. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

The Earth naturally absorbs some of our climate pollution from burning fossil fuels. But how much, and how fast? Geophysicist Prof. Daniel Rothman joins the podcast to explain the nature and scale of the natural carbon cycle, and how our appetite for fossil fuels has pushed it out of balance. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Today, companies are storing millions of tons of carbon dioxide underground every year to prevent this climate pollution from warming the planet. In the future it might be billions of tons. But is it dangerous to pump so much liquefied carbon below our feet? Geologist and carbon storage expert Prof. Bradford Hager joins the podcast to explain the risks and how to avoid them. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Lindsay Fendt, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

What if there was a way to continue using fossil fuels for energy without emitting CO2 into the atmosphere? To prepare for a new listener question about carbon capture, we're re-airing this season two episode in which Dr. Howard Herzog and Professor Brad Hager talk about capturing, using, and storing carbon emissions, and how it fits into a clean energy future.

Is hydrogen fuel a climate solution? That depends on how you produce it. Dr. Emre Gençer of the MIT Energy Initiative takes us on a tour of the hydrogen spectrum, from climate-polluting “gray” hydrogen made from natural gas to the much more promising “green” hydrogen made with renewable electricity. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Just 20 years ago, hydrogen cars and battery electric cars were pretty evenly matched as clean alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. But today, batteries are way ahead: the big car companies are rapidly electrifying their lineups, while only a few hydrogen cars are available. What happened? Sergey Paltsev, senior research scientist at the MIT Energy Initiative, helps TILclimate answer this listener question. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Hydrogen gas acts like a fossil fuel, but with no carbon emissions. Is it the silver bullet we’ve been waiting for? To prepare for some new listener questions about hydrogen energy, we're re-airing this season four episode in which Prof. Svetlana Ikonnikova of the Technical University of Munich explains how hydrogen works and its potential in the energy transition. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: https://climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e4-introduction-hydrogen-energy-re-air For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Wind power is the largest source of clean, renewable energy in the United States. But the large turbines that create that power can endanger wildlife. MIT Professor Michael Howland returns to the podcast to answer a listener's question about the risks of wind energy to birds—and explain how wind turbines compare to coal plants, power lines, office towers, housecats, and other threats to birdlife in the modern world. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

You might have heard how wind turbines failed in Texas during a terrible cold front in 2021. Does this mean we can’t rely on this clean, renewable source of energy when the weather turns extreme? MIT Professor Michael Howland joins the podcast to explain how wind turbine operators prepare for frigid conditions, and why some turbines failed in Texas while others are working fine in Antarctica. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol

Plants take in CO2 from the air to grow—and today’s atmosphere has about 50% more CO2 than it did before we started burning massive amounts of fossil fuels. So, is that great news for plants? Prof. David Des Marais, a plant ecologist at MIT, helps answer this listener question. For a deeper dive and additional resources related to this episode, visit: For more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit tilclimate.mit.edu. Credits Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Executive Producer David Lishansky, Editor and Producer Aaron Krol, Writer and Producer Andrew Moseman, Science Reporter Michelle Harris, Fact Checker Music by Blue Dot Sessions Artwork by Aaron Krol