It’s been more than a month since the White House revealed its plans to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a Colorado-based research hub dedicated to studying the Earth’s atmosphere to improve weather predictions. Other scientists raised the alarm by warning that the move would shatter “the global mothership” supporting humanity’s understanding of the planet. “A lot has happened since then, but it seems the focus on NCAR has not really been lost, unfortunately.”Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite The National Center for Atmospheric Research, above Boulder. In 1960, NCAR began operations under the management of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a consortium of universities operating the institute on behalf of the National Science Foundation. He recently published an op-ed noting that the research center has provided the public with lifesaving technologies, like tools to help aircraft avoid dangerous thunderstorms.