Staggering video of our nation exhaling CO2

Scientists at Purdue University recently did an extremely detailed analysis of the emission of CO₂ in the United States. They included every sector: power generation, manufacturing, transportation, etc., and then they used advanced atmospheric models to track the gas.

It's part of a research project they're calling "Project Vulcan," presumably because Vulcans looking down at our planet would either be unimpressed by our technology or wonder how an entire planet could breathe.

The result is both staggering and unnerving. Watching our nation wake up in the morning in this way is just plain freaky. The CO₂ swells into the atmosphere, covering more of the nation hour by hour until folks get home and start relaxing more and consuming less.

I can proudly declare that my city in western Montana, in fact, remains completely unblemished by CO₂ emissions. Though, it's easy enough to spot the coal-fired power plant in south-east Montana that actually electrifies my house.

Via Wired Blogs