Kate S. Petersen
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Kate S. Petersen
@kspetersen.bsky.social
100 followers 46 following 18 posts
Climate and Energy Fact Check Reporter at USA TODAY
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Temperature and sea ice data consistent with human-driven climate change | Fact check

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Temperature and sea ice data consistent with human-driven climate change | Fact check
Extensive evidence, including global temperature and sea ice data, shows Earth's climate is changing due to human activity.
www.usatoday.com
February 15, 2025 at 12:02 AM
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No, LA wildfires haven't emitted more CO2 than all US cars | Fact check

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No, LA wildfires haven't emitted more CO2 than all US cars | Fact check
Two days of January wildfires in Southern California did not produce anywhere near as much CO2 as U.S. cars have emitted over decades.
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January 31, 2025 at 8:29 PM
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Humans are causing modern warming; other things caused past climate change | Fact check

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Humans are causing modern warming; other things caused past climate change | Fact check
Earth's climate has changed throughout history for numerous reasons, but modern climate change is driven by human behavior.
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January 30, 2025 at 10:40 PM
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Sea ice data analysis in social media post fails to undermine decades of global climate research | Fact check

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Analysis of sea ice on one December day doesn't disprove climate change | Fact check
A comparison of polar sea ice extents on two random days does not provide enough information to determine whether or not Earth's climate is changing.
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January 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM
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Christmas Eve in Antarctica doesn't expose climate change 'hoax' | Fact check

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Antarctic sea ice extent comparison consistent with climate change | Fact check
Climate change − a global phenomenon − can neither be confirmed nor disproven by comparing Antarctic sea ice extent on two individual days.
www.usatoday.com
January 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
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Coal plants under construction despite climate impacts | Fact check

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Buildout of new coal plants doesn't prove CO2 has no impact on climate | Fact check
National energy policy does not provide information about the behavior of CO2 molecules in the atmosphere.
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January 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
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One third of atmospheric CO2 released by humans since 1850s | Fact check

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One third of atmospheric CO2 released by humans since 1850s | Fact check
There is significant evidence that Antarctica has warmed within the last 70 years.
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December 13, 2024 at 7:23 PM
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Global food production is impacted by climate change | Fact check
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Climate change has many 'recognizable negative effects' on crops | Fact check
Increases in global grain production are mostly due to changes in agricultural technologies and an increase in cultivated land area, experts said.
www.usatoday.com
December 2, 2024 at 10:00 PM
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'Green' energy needs metal. Can we combat climate change while minimizing mining impacts?

There are clear pathways to improve mining practices, promote resource conservation and shrink demand for new minerals. My latest on the renewable energy transition ...

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'Green' energy needs metal. Can we combat climate change while reducing mining impacts?
Changes to infrastructure, policy and cultural norms can improve mining practices, promote resource conservation and shrink demand for new minerals.
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December 1, 2024 at 9:12 PM
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The U.S. electric grid is pivoting toward renewables like solar and wind, but these technologies can’t produce energy all the time. How can they provide 24/7 power?
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Can we count on renewable energy? Four ways wind, solar and water can power the US
Experts say there's no intrinsic reason a renewables-based grid would be more prone to blackouts than one built on fossil fuels.
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November 27, 2024 at 8:58 PM
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CO2 emissions from gas cars outweigh electric, even with battery manufacturing | Fact check
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CO2 emissions from gas cars outweigh electric, even with battery manufacturing | Fact check
There is no set number of years it takes gas engine emissions to match those produced by battery manufacturing. But averages are far less than eight.
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November 27, 2024 at 8:49 PM
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How we know humans are causing warming: A brief history of climate science | Fact check
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How we know humans are causing warming: A brief history of climate science | Fact check
More than a century of experimental and observational research shows that global warming is driven by greenhouse gases emitted by human activity.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:49 PM
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Coal does, in fact, 'quit.' No form of energy is 100% reliable | Fact check
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Coal does, in fact, 'quit.' No form of energy is 100% reliable | Fact check
Solar and wind power do not produce energy all of the time, but neither do coal plants. They're offline about 12% of the time in the U.S.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:48 PM
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Humans are responsible for a significant amount of CO2 in the atmosphere | Fact check
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Humans are responsible for a significant amount of CO2 in the atmosphere | Fact check
The atmosphere is roughly 0.04% CO2, but humans have contributed about one-third of that since 1850.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:47 PM
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Gases on exoplanet K2-18b can be produced by things besides aliens | Fact check
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Gases on exoplanet K2-18b can be produced by things besides aliens | Fact check
While the James Webb Space Telescope has detected CO2 and methane on K2-18b, these gases are regularly produced by non-living processes.
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November 27, 2024 at 8:46 PM
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Image showing purported effects of alcohol is actually ancient brain | Fact check
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Image showing purported effects of alcohol is actually ancient brain | Fact check
The deformed brain is a preserved specimen estimated to be more than 2,000 years old. There's no evidence it's appearance is related to alcohol use.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:44 PM
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Map shows existing Valencia river barriers, not dams that were removed | Fact check
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Map shows existing Valencia river barriers, not dams that were removed | Fact check
Blue dots on a map circulating widely on social media show weirs that are still in place, not dams removed before Valencia flooding.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:43 PM
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It's not one or the other: CO2 can drive global warming and fertilize plants | Fact check
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It's not one or the other: CO2 can drive global warming and fertilize plants | Fact check
CO2 is used in greenhouses to boost plant growth. CO2 is also causing modern global warming by slowing the escape of heat energy into space.
www.usatoday.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:42 PM