December 31, 2014

As 2014 comes to a close – a few favorites

It has been a busy year here at Plugged In. We have said a fond farewell (for now) to David Wogan and were excited to see Scott Huler launch a new project on Scientific American’s Expeditions.

By Melissa C. Lott

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

It has been a busy year here at Plugged In. We have said a fond farewell (for now) to David Wogan and were excited to see Scott Huler launch a new project on Scientific American's Expeditions. We welcomed Tali Trigg and Robert Fares as regular contributors at the Plugged In writing desk. The Scientific American blogging network has welcomed a new blogging editor, Curtis Brainard.

And, throughout the year, Plugged In has covered a wide array of energy stories, exploring the links between energy systems, the environment, and our lives.

As we wrap up the year and look ahead to 2015, here are a few favorites from my story list...

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

3. The Lightning Potential - this year, a 9 year old boy named Nolan asked energy professor Dr. Michael Webber if we could power our homes with lightning. The answer? Sure we can. But we probably don't want to.

Keep asking questions, Nolan!

2. Should public transportation be free in cities with dirty air?

This summer, the air in Paris got so bad that the government banned cars from the road and made public transportation free. The result as cleaner air for Parisians to breathe and a question of whether or not polluted cities should follow in Paris's footsteps.

1. Welcome to Texas - America's Energy Storage Laboratory

Texas is not only the home of America's oil and gas industry, but also boasts the only state-contained power grid in the continental United States. The Lone Star State is using this unique system as a more than 100 acre laboratory for energy technologies. This fall, Oncor announced its latest push for grid-scale testing of energy storage technologies.

Thank you to all of our readers as well as the other bloggers and staff here at Scientific American for a fantastic and engaging 2014.

Happy holidays!

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American