/oss/taxonomy/term/2730/all en /oss/article/environment-science-science-everywhere/everytime-you-turn-your-home-oil-furnace-or-drive-around-your-car-you-contribute-towards-making <p>Acid rain! Many gravestones are made of marble, which dissolves in acid. This means that if rain water is acidic, every time there is some precipitation, a bit of the marble is worn away. Acid rain can mostly, but not exclusively, be traced to human activity. The fossil fuels that we rely on extensively for heating and transport are the end product of the long term decomposition of plants and animals in the soil. The carbohydrates, fats and proteins that once made up these living creatures are converted into the hydrocarbons that make up the bulk of petroleum.</p> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:26:07 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1881 at /oss