Science Magazine Podcast When we’ll hit peak carbon emissions, and macaques that keep the beat
Nov 27, 2025
Paul Voosen, a staff writer for Science Magazine specializing in climate science, discusses the complexities of predicting when peak carbon emissions might occur, highlighting challenges with measurements and recent trends. Vani Rajendran, a senior researcher in cognitive neuroscience, shares intriguing findings on macaques that can synchronize to beats, challenging previous beliefs about rhythm in animals. Their exploration covers implications for evolution and potential therapies for motor disorders, making for a captivating conversation.
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Measuring Peak Carbon Is Messy
- Peak global CO2 is hard to pin down because we rely on proxies and delayed energy statistics rather than direct real-time emissions measurements.
- Near-real-time proxies (satellites, grid electricity, traffic) improved tracking but still produce noisy, preliminary year-to-year signals.
COVID Was A Natural Experiment For Emissions Data
- COVID lockdowns catalyzed development of near-real-time emissions proxies using electricity, traffic, and satellite observations.
- These proxies let researchers track month-to-month changes instead of waiting years for official energy statistics.
Regional Peaks Drive Global Totals
- Regional trajectories differ: some rich countries peaked decades ago while emerging economies still drive global growth in emissions.
- China's recent flattening is critical because it accounted for most post-Paris emissions growth, so its peak could dominate the global signal.