As a branch of astronomy, star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium (ISM) and giant molecular clouds (GMC) as precursors to the star formation process, and the study of protostars and young stellar objects as its immediate products.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) (or carbon capture and sequestration) is the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide (CO2) from large point sources, such as fossil fuel power plants, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere, normally an underground geological formation.
During the natural carbon cycle, carbon is released into the atmosphere from various sources and absorbed through sinks.. For example humans and plants give off carbon dioxide through respiration, making them a source of carbon dioxide, while plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, making them a sink.