Environment

The changes and wonders of the natural world—and how human interaction influences animals, the ocean, and the rest of the environment.

Latest in Environment

Three feral hogs in grass. One is black and standing while grazing. The middle is gray and sitting. The third is brown and also sitting.

Environment

Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs

By Marcus Lashley / The Conversation

Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified

Environment

Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs have been identified

By Laura Baisas

A small brown frog standing on leaves at the water’s edge.

Environment

This tiny ‘leaf-nester’ is the smallest known fanged frog This tiny ‘leaf-nester’ is the smallest known fanged frog

By Laura Baisas

Morel mushrooms growing in a greenhouse in central China's Hubei Province. The mushrooms have long brown caps and white stems.

Health

Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak Mysterious morel mushrooms at center of food poisoning outbreak

By Keely Larson / KFF Health News

The Best LED Grow Lights

Gear

The best LED grow lights for 2024 The best LED grow lights for 2024

By Sarah Horaczek

An aardvark with a long nose sits in grass.

Environment

Why scientists are studying aardvarks’ poop Why scientists are studying aardvarks’ poop

By Laura Baisas

Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish

Environment

Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish Lessons from Lake Tanganyika’s scale eating fish

By Jeffrey McKinnon / MIT Press Reader

A reindeer stands on snowy ground with hills in the distance.

Environment

Reindeer can see UV light—and we may know why Reindeer can see UV light—and we may know why

By Laura Baisas

Top: Beans at the CIAT gene bank in Colombia, which has just sent its latest consignments of seeds for conservation at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway.

Environment

In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops In the face of extreme weather, scientists look to adapt crops

By Lourdes Medrano/Undark

The Wakayama Soryu was about the size of a great white shark and lived more than 72 million years ago.

Environment

This ‘blue dragon’ sliced through the ancient Pacific with paddle-like fins This ‘blue dragon’ sliced through the ancient Pacific with paddle-like fins

By Laura Baisas

A lineup of the best automatic cat feeders on a plain background

Gear

The best automatic cat feeders for 2024 The best automatic cat feeders for 2024

A bearded seal swimming in Arctic waters in Svalbard, Norway. Their name comes from the long and sensitive facial whiskers that they use to find food.

Science

Arctic seals have special noses Arctic seals have special noses

By Laura Baisas

Environment

The public lands and the energy transition conundrum The public lands and the energy transition conundrum

By Jonathan Thompson / High Country News

A bird called a green honeycreeper stands on a tree branch. It has blue male plumage on its left side and green female plumage on its right.

Environment

Rare bird with half male and half female plumage photographed in Colombia Rare bird with half male and half female plumage photographed in Colombia

By Laura Baisas

A man holes a 14-inch goldfish removed from the Niagara River.

Environment

Releasing pet goldfish into the wild has serious consequences Releasing pet goldfish into the wild has serious consequences

By Laura Baisas

New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots

Environment

New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots New Zealand’s quest to save its rotund, flightless parrots

By Rina Diane Caballar / Knowable Magazine

In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat

Environment

In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat In Alaska, preparing for tsunamis is no small feat

By Christian Elliott / Undark

Thick smoke from a wildfire in the tundra in Alaska.

Environment

Wildfires are thawing the tundra Wildfires are thawing the tundra

By Kylie Mohr / High Country News

Paleontologist Martin Lockley sits in front of a rock with dinosaur claw marks and shows how dinosaurs must have clawed into the rock during a mating ceremony where they made pseudo nests for potential mates.

Science

Why dinosaur footprints inspired paleontologist Martin Lockley Why dinosaur footprints inspired paleontologist Martin Lockley

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of biofiber within cracked concrete

Technology

Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete

Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now

Technology

Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now Even lab mice are getting VR headsets now

‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents

Environment

‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents ‘Forever chemicals’ found in freshwater fish, yet most states don’t warn residents

By Hannah Norman / KFF Health News

A circular grey fossil with long linear grooves on it.

Environment

Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle

By Laura Baisas

Waves on the ocean.

Environment

Warming oceans could thaw trapped ‘fire-ice’ Warming oceans could thaw trapped ‘fire-ice’

By Laura Baisas

A sample of baboon skulls dating back 2,500 to 2,800 years in southern Egypt.

Environment

Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them

By Laura Baisas

NeRmo mouse robot standing against blue background

Technology

Meet NeRmo, the mouse robot with backbone Meet NeRmo, the mouse robot with backbone

Multiple cows standing in an industrial barn.

Environment

What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow? What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow?

By Max Graham/Grist

A dark-furred mouse looks into a mirror.

Science

Mice may be able to recognize their own reflections Mice may be able to recognize their own reflections

By Laura Baisas

Glowing blue lights of the tiny ostracods move in sync with one another.

Environment

Watch the mucus-filled, synchronized mating dance of bioluminescent ‘sea fireflies’ Watch the mucus-filled, synchronized mating dance of bioluminescent ‘sea fireflies’

By Laura Baisas

A dinosaur called poposaurus walks near some trees. The dinosaur comes from a group of extinct relatives of the crocodile known as Poposauroidea.

Environment

Tracing the crocodiles’ curious evolutionary family tree Tracing the crocodiles’ curious evolutionary family tree

By Laura Baisas

A mosquito encased in yellow-hued amber.

Science

Millions of years ago, male mosquitoes may have been blood suckers too Millions of years ago, male mosquitoes may have been blood suckers too

By Laura Baisas

Completed JT-60SA experimental nuclear fusion facility in Japan

Technology

The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running

A red-tailed hawk with a broken wing at the New England Wildlife Center in Weymouth, Mass.

Technology

Digitized records from wildlife centers show the most common ways that humans harm wild animals Digitized records from wildlife centers show the most common ways that humans harm wild animals

By Tara K. Miller and Richard B. Primack / The Conversation

1-guilla eel robot without casing

Technology

Watch this eel robot effortlessly glide underwater Watch this eel robot effortlessly glide underwater

A white axolotl in a tank. Axolotls are sometimes called the ‘Peter Pan of amphibians’ since they do not go through a traditional metamorphosis and keep larval traits like their signature gills.

Environment

Go (virtually) adopt an axolotl, the ‘Peter Pan’ of amphibians Go (virtually) adopt an axolotl, the ‘Peter Pan’ of amphibians

By Laura Baisas

A cicada sitting on a green leaf. The insect has bright orange eyes and large wings. Cicadas live underground for 13 or 17 years, before emerging to mate.

Environment

Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din

By Laura Baisas

US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’

Health

US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’ US military says national security depends on ‘forever chemicals’

By Patricia Kime / KFF Health News

A French bulldog standing in a pile of leaves.

Health

An unknown respiratory illness is sickening dogs in the US, but ‘don’t panic’ An unknown respiratory illness is sickening dogs in the US, but ‘don’t panic’

By Laura Baisas

Google and Fervo's geothermal power plant in Nevada at dusk

Technology

Geothermal energy now helps power Google’s desert data centers Geothermal energy now helps power Google’s desert data centers

A large rat stands on a tree trunk at night. The Vangunu giant rat is the first new species of rodent described from Solomon Islands in over 80 years.

Environment

A legendary Vangunu giant rat was finally caught on camera A legendary Vangunu giant rat was finally caught on camera

By Laura Baisas

All the fish we cannot see

Environment

All the fish we cannot see All the fish we cannot see

By Moira Donovan / Hakai Magazine

An orange California newt sits on a rock. The amphibians are endemic to California.

Environment

Female Taricha newts are more poisonous than males Female Taricha newts are more poisonous than males

By Laura Baisas

How AI could help scientists spot ‘ultra-emission’ methane plumes faster—from space

Environment

How AI could help scientists spot ‘ultra-emission’ methane plumes faster—from space How AI could help scientists spot ‘ultra-emission’ methane plumes faster—from space

A newborn rhino calf stands under his mother. He is black and does not have his signature horns in yet.

Environment

A critically endangered Sumatran rhino named Delilah welcomes first calf A critically endangered Sumatran rhino named Delilah welcomes first calf

By Laura Baisas

Charli my toy Aussie Shepherd in her Fable crate next to the couch

Gear

My dog’s safe space can be your dog’s new happy place My dog’s safe space can be your dog’s new happy place

shipping containers on ship sailing through the sea

Environment

Green shipping picks up speed Green shipping picks up speed

By Elise Hansen / Knowable Magazine

Six African penguins standing on a rock. They have white plumage with black dots arranged in individual patterns on their chests.

Environment

African penguins may tell each other apart by the spots in their plumage African penguins may tell each other apart by the spots in their plumage

By Laura Baisas

Tracking bird migration with radio-based technology

Technology

Tracking bird migration with radio-based technology Tracking bird migration with radio-based technology

By Sara Van Note / Undark

colorful eel and the physics behind its skin color

Environment

How animals get their skin patterns is a matter of physics How animals get their skin patterns is a matter of physics

By Ankur Gupta / The Conversation

A cat DNA test on a plain background

Gear

Shop pet DNA kits at Amazon for Black Friday and find your dog or cat’s origin story Shop pet DNA kits at Amazon for Black Friday and find your dog or cat’s origin story

An artist's rendering of a trilobite based on preserved soft body parts. The animal has two antennae protruding from its head and is oval-shaped.

Environment

10 new species of trilobite fossil rise from volcanic ash 10 new species of trilobite fossil rise from volcanic ash

By Laura Baisas

Cranberries at a Thanksgiving table

Environment

Cranberries can bounce, float, and pollinate themselves Cranberries can bounce, float, and pollinate themselves

By Serina DeSalvio / The Conversation

A blue Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder filled with seed is mounted to a green post.

Gear

The best bird feeder camera is cheaper than ever at Amazon for Black Friday The best bird feeder camera is cheaper than ever at Amazon for Black Friday

By Stan Horaczek

Army ants building living bridge between two ledges in lab

Technology

Army ants could teach robots a thing or two Army ants could teach robots a thing or two

An Indian cobra found in the farmlands of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Around 58,000 Indians die from snakebites every year, the highest rate in the world.

Environment

In India, a need for new antidotes to curb deadly snakebites In India, a need for new antidotes to curb deadly snakebites

By Kamala Thiagarajan / Undark

A mature Megasyllis nipponica with a developing female stolon.

Environment

Why these sea worms detach their butts to reproduce Why these sea worms detach their butts to reproduce

By Laura Baisas

An aquatic nematode living in pond water among cyanobacteria. The small worms are sometimes trapped and eaten by carnivorous fungi.

Science

These tiny worms are no match for carnivorous fungi These tiny worms are no match for carnivorous fungi

By Laura Baisas

Colorful eyes of different animals; illustration

Environment

How do animals see the world? How do animals see the world?

By Laura Baisas

Broadclub Cuttlefish

Environment

Cuttlefish and their amazing technicolor dreamcoats Cuttlefish and their amazing technicolor dreamcoats

By Olivia Ferrari / Hakai Magazine

Black and white photo of merchant ship encountering rogue wave

Technology

An equation co-written with AI reveals monster rogue waves form ‘all the time’ An equation co-written with AI reveals monster rogue waves form ‘all the time’

A serotine bat with its mouth open, showing teeth. Serotine bats are widely spread throughout Europe and Asia and have a 15 inch wingspan.

Environment

Scientists are confounded by the sex lives of serontine bats Scientists are confounded by the sex lives of serontine bats

By Laura Baisas

Dolphins that learn to approach people for an easy meal will often hang around fishing boats.

Environment

Stop feeding the dolphins—seriously Stop feeding the dolphins—seriously

By Emily Harwitz / Hakai Magazine

A woman in a puffy coat points in a direction. Her small dog looks excitedly in that direction. They are sitting in a park with oranges leaves on green grass.

Science

Why dogs usually can’t tell what you’re pointing at Why dogs usually can’t tell what you’re pointing at

By Laura Baisas

An extreme close up of a mosquito biting human skin.

Health

How ingredients in everyday soap could help fight malaria How ingredients in everyday soap could help fight malaria

By Laura Baisas