In This Issue
Changes in atmospheric radiocarbon
Radiocarbon content in atmospheric CO2 projected through 2100 using representative concentration pathway carbon emission scenarios.
The amount of radioactive carbon-14 in atmospheric CO2 has varied since 1890 due to fossil fuel emissions and nuclear weapons testing. Heather Graven (pp. 9542–9545) calculated the effect of fossil fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions on the ratio of radiocarbon to stable carbon in the atmosphere over the 21st century. Because fossil fuels have lost all radiocarbon through radioactive decay, the radiocarbon concentration in the atmosphere can be diluted by fossil fuel-generated CO2. The dilution is currently increasing the radiocarbon age of the atmosphere by 30 years per year. According to the author, ambitious emission reductions could hold atmospheric radiocarbon at preindustrial levels, while business-as-usual emission scenarios suggest significant depletion of atmospheric radiocarbon equivalent to more than 2,000 years of radioactive decay. By 2050, under a business-as-usual scenario, fresh organic material may be indistinguishable by radiocarbon dating techniques from material from 1050. The results suggest that fossil fuel use may decrease atmospheric radiocarbon content more rapidly than previously expected and that such changes may strongly affect the viability of techniques that use radiocarbon in fields such as earth science, archaeology, and forensics, according to the author. — P.G.
Quantifying and tracking RNA in live cells
Sticky-flares label endogenous RNA, allowing RNA tracking in live cells.
The transport and localization of messenger RNA (mRNA) are critical for cellular health, and understanding RNA misregulation can aid the diagnosis and treatment of numerous disorders. However, current techniques for RNA analysis have limitations, including the inability of many …
