Writing in the May 10 issue of the journal Nature, a Cornell biogeochemist describes an economical and efficient way to help offset global warming: Pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by charring, or partially burning, trees, grasses or crop residues without the use of oxygen

Scientists at UC San Diego may have developed a system that could absorb carbon dioxide and split it into carbon oxide and oxygen, and generate electricity. Carbon oxide is a common industrial chemical that is normally captured from natural gas.