College and the American Economy
Pew Research | READ STORY

Having a college education is far more important for young adults entering the job market today than it was 50 years ago. In 1965, the median annual earnings of workers with at least a bachelor's degree was only about $7500 higher than that of those with only a high school diploma (in 2012 dollars); now the median income for those with bachelor's degrees or more is roughly $17,500 higher than that of those with only high school diplomas.

Bankruptcy in American Municipalities
PBS | READ STORY

A number of American municipalities--13 since 2008--have filed Chapter 9 bankruptcy as a last resort in the effort to manage crushing debt. PBS Newshour provides a map of the 13 municipalities, and explains the Chapter 9 bankruptcy process in broad strokes. The municipalities at issue include Detroit, Michigan, San Bernadino, California, Boise County, Idaho, and Washington Park, Illinois, among other areas.

Internet Usage After 25 Years

Pew Research | READ STORY

Two and a half decades after its invention, 87% of American adults use the internet. This number is even higher among high income families, young adults, and those with college degrees. Roughly 90% of internet users feel that the internet has improved their lives personally, and about 76% believe that it has bettered society as a whole.

Distribution of Earned Income Tax Credit
Brookings | READ STORY

This interactive map tool, provided by Brookings.edu, displays county by county data on how many taxpayers have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit. The map also allows the user to zoom in on particular areas to better distinguish counties, and provides data on the rankings--from the county with the highest average EITC amount claimed (or highest share of taxpayers claiming EITC) to the lowest.

Last Month was Globe's Fourth Warmest January Ever
NOAA | READ STORY

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is reporting last month was the fourth warmest January globally since record keeping began in 1880. Temperature maps show much of the world -- except the eastern United States -- experienced warmer than average temperatures. The NOAA also reported 37 percent of the United States is now suffering from drought. Precipitation was below normal for more than 30 states last month.

New study reveals climate engineering could bring 'potentially severe side effects'
Nature Communications| READ STORY

Researchers from Germany's Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel published findings in the journal Nature Communications, which echo other studies' warnings of geoengineering, that deliberate large-scale human manipulation of the climate as a way to mitigate soaring CO2 emissions is a technological path towards further climate chaos with potentially disastrous consequences.

Warming Is Happening, Action Imperative say Major Science Academies
NAS | READ STORY

According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the UK's Royal Society, in the jointly written guide on climate change and the state of climate science today, the world is undoubtedly warming and the global temperature could increase by 2.6-4.8C by the end of this century. As the leading scientists from the two countries emphasize, CO2, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, has risen to levels unseen in the last 800,000 years, and measurements dating back to the mid-19th century show an obvious and steady warming trend. The guide also explains how this steady uptick in carbon, and the subsequent warming of the planet, are clearly the result of fossil fuel burning.

There Is No Warming "Pause," says Study: Planet, Oceans Are Warming
Nature Communications | READ STORY

Though surface temperature increases have slowed in recent years, global warming is accelerating rapidly as the oceans heat up. A new study, conducted by U.S. and Australian scientists and presented in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that unusually powerful trade winds in the Pacific Ocean have contributed to pushing the warmer ocean waters to greater depths, creating an illusion of a warming plateau on the surface.