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

flood water under park bench

Environment

Why we’re going to see a rapid rise in sunny day floods Why we’re going to see a rapid rise in sunny day floods

By Sara Chodosh

birds eye view of a US city

Environment

Congress is watering down the American Jobs Plan—and our infrastructure will pay the price Congress is watering down the American Jobs Plan—and our infrastructure will pay the price

The argument for a permanent Olympic City

Environment

The argument for a permanent Olympic City The argument for a permanent Olympic City

By Angely Mercado

Sea otters defy our understanding of metabolism

Environment

Sea otters defy our understanding of metabolism Sea otters defy our understanding of metabolism

By Kate Baggaley

Young climate change activists holding signs at a protest with a light purple filter

Health

Kids are suffering from climate anxiety. It’s time for adults to do something. Kids are suffering from climate anxiety. It’s time for adults to do something.

By Sara Kiley Watson

Wisconsin’s gray wolves are in serious trouble

Environment

Wisconsin’s gray wolves are in serious trouble Wisconsin’s gray wolves are in serious trouble

By Kate Baggaley

Underwater Gliders Gather Data To Help Predict The Next Big Storm

Environment

Underwater Gliders Gather Data To Help Predict The Next Big Storm Underwater Gliders Gather Data To Help Predict The Next Big Storm

By Shaunacy Ferro

The 123,000 MPH Plasma Engine That Could Finally Take Astronauts To Mars

Science

The 123,000 MPH Plasma Engine That Could Finally Take Astronauts To Mars The 123,000 MPH Plasma Engine That Could Finally Take Astronauts To Mars

By Sam Howe Verhovek

The Treasure of the Safit Chir

Environment

The Treasure of the Safit Chir The Treasure of the Safit Chir

By Matthieu Aikins

Arctic Report: How To Feed Salmon To The World

Environment

Arctic Report: How To Feed Salmon To The World Arctic Report: How To Feed Salmon To The World

By Breanna Draxler

Who Killed The Deep Space Climate Observatory?

Science

Who Killed The Deep Space Climate Observatory? Who Killed The Deep Space Climate Observatory?

By Bill Donahue

Inside Five Deeps’ record-setting quest to reach the bottom of each ocean

Environment

Inside Five Deeps’ record-setting quest to reach the bottom of each ocean Inside Five Deeps’ record-setting quest to reach the bottom of each ocean

Arctic Report: How To Sell A Single Fish To 11 Different Countries

Environment

Arctic Report: How To Sell A Single Fish To 11 Different Countries Arctic Report: How To Sell A Single Fish To 11 Different Countries

By Breanna Draxler

World’s Most Powerful X-Ray-Making Accelerator To Open This Year On Long Island

Environment

World’s Most Powerful X-Ray-Making Accelerator To Open This Year On Long Island World’s Most Powerful X-Ray-Making Accelerator To Open This Year On Long Island

By Francie Diep

Testing the Goods: Horizon MiniPak Portable Fuel Cell Charger

Environment

Testing the Goods: Horizon MiniPak Portable Fuel Cell Charger Testing the Goods: Horizon MiniPak Portable Fuel Cell Charger

By Sarah Parsons

What is ‘degrowth’ and how can it fight climate change?

Environment

What is ‘degrowth’ and how can it fight climate change? What is ‘degrowth’ and how can it fight climate change?

By Sara Kiley Watson

The Milky Way at night over mountains.

DIY

The best ways to reduce light pollution and improve your quality of life The best ways to reduce light pollution and improve your quality of life

By Alisha McDarris

How to make sure your leech bite doesn’t kill you

Environment

How to make sure your leech bite doesn’t kill you How to make sure your leech bite doesn’t kill you

By Kate Baggaley

Environment

Are we killing off all the wild buffalo that still know how to roam? Are we killing off all the wild buffalo that still know how to roam?

Getting hot in here

Environment

New Kind Of Material Stores Heat Till You Squeeze It New Kind Of Material Stores Heat Till You Squeeze It

By Mary Beth Griggs

california wind farm

Environment

The most important science policy issue in every state The most important science policy issue in every state

A person gardening in a wooden planter box.

DIY

Plant a garden that helps the planet by devouring carbon Plant a garden that helps the planet by devouring carbon

By Ellen Airhart

White house standing alone among destroyed houses on a beach.

Technology

Hurricanes destroy beachside homes, but not this one Hurricanes destroy beachside homes, but not this one

By Eleanor Cummins

San Nicolas Island fox

Environment

When killing off a species is the best solution When killing off a species is the best solution

By Grennan Milliken

Masses Of Vultures In Cities Pose A Threat To Aircraft

Environment

Masses Of Vultures In Cities Pose A Threat To Aircraft Masses Of Vultures In Cities Pose A Threat To Aircraft

By Grennan Milliken

Inside the high-tech, last-ditch effort to save the northern white rhino

Environment

Inside the high-tech, last-ditch effort to save the northern white rhino Inside the high-tech, last-ditch effort to save the northern white rhino

indian pangolin

Environment

The Pangolin Finally Made It Onto The List Of The World’s Most Protected Animals The Pangolin Finally Made It Onto The List Of The World’s Most Protected Animals

What the heck is a species anyway?

Environment

What the heck is a species anyway? What the heck is a species anyway?

By Sara Chodosh

Close-up of a furry, grey and beige mouse with round ears standing on red dirt.

Environment

An ‘extinct’ Australian mouse has been thriving on a remote protected island An ‘extinct’ Australian mouse has been thriving on a remote protected island

Rainy days make everything worse—even restaurant reviews

Environment

Rainy days make everything worse—even restaurant reviews Rainy days make everything worse—even restaurant reviews

By Marlene Cimons

The Last Drops: How to Bridge the Gap Between Oil and Green Energy

Environment

The Last Drops: How to Bridge the Gap Between Oil and Green Energy The Last Drops: How to Bridge the Gap Between Oil and Green Energy

By Paul Roberts

Are ‘heat days’ the new snow days?

Environment

Are ‘heat days’ the new snow days? Are ‘heat days’ the new snow days?

By Angely Mercado

Videos show a surreal ‘eye of fire’ in the Gulf of Mexico after gas pipeline ruptures at sea

Environment

Videos show a surreal ‘eye of fire’ in the Gulf of Mexico after gas pipeline ruptures at sea Videos show a surreal ‘eye of fire’ in the Gulf of Mexico after gas pipeline ruptures at sea

By Rachel Feltman

Extreme heat and wildfires have caused literal firestorms across Canada

Environment

Extreme heat and wildfires have caused literal firestorms across Canada Extreme heat and wildfires have caused literal firestorms across Canada

By Sara Kiley Watson

someone washing a horse

Science

The weirdest things we learned this week: Giant sloths, caged babies, and spicy horse butts The weirdest things we learned this week: Giant sloths, caged babies, and spicy horse butts

By Rachel Feltman

What Are You Doing For Thanksgiving?: Tara Whitsitt

Environment

What Are You Doing For Thanksgiving?: Tara Whitsitt What Are You Doing For Thanksgiving?: Tara Whitsitt

Willow trees could be a sustainable (and beautiful) way to treat wastewater

Health

Willow trees could be a sustainable (and beautiful) way to treat wastewater Willow trees could be a sustainable (and beautiful) way to treat wastewater

By Angely Mercado

Deadly heatwaves like those in the Pacific Northwest will only become more common

Environment

Deadly heatwaves like those in the Pacific Northwest will only become more common Deadly heatwaves like those in the Pacific Northwest will only become more common

By Sara Kiley Watson

Electrical fan against window

DIY

How to stay cool if you lose power during a heatwave How to stay cool if you lose power during a heatwave

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

close up of person sweating

Environment

Wet bulb globe temperature is the vital weather stat you’ve never heard of Wet bulb globe temperature is the vital weather stat you’ve never heard of

By Sara Chodosh

The Science of Swine

Environment

The Science of Swine The Science of Swine

Male red-winged blackbird

DIY

How to decode the secret language of birds How to decode the secret language of birds

Environment

IBM Watson Can Help Find Water Wasters In Drought-Stricken California IBM Watson Can Help Find Water Wasters In Drought-Stricken California

By Mary Beth Griggs

a sweaty man pants for air over an orange and yellow background

Environment

Heat is the silent killer we should all be worried about Heat is the silent killer we should all be worried about

Night sky and stars above the Cherry Springs National Park.

Science

The world needs dark skies more than ever. Here’s why. The world needs dark skies more than ever. Here’s why.

Young soybean crows in tilled soil

Environment

A huge chunk of the EU’s food imports will be at risk of drought by 2050 A huge chunk of the EU’s food imports will be at risk of drought by 2050

By Sara Kiley Watson

Scientists Can Now Control Mice Brains Wirelessly

Health

Scientists Can Now Control Mice Brains Wirelessly Scientists Can Now Control Mice Brains Wirelessly

By Alexandra Ossola

A man running shirtless on the side of a road in hot weather.

Health

Know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. One can kill you quickly. Know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. One can kill you quickly.

By Alisha McDarris

NIH Ends All Research On Chimps, Sending Last 300 To Sanctuary

Environment

NIH Ends All Research On Chimps, Sending Last 300 To Sanctuary NIH Ends All Research On Chimps, Sending Last 300 To Sanctuary

By Carl Franzen

A large piece of granite rock glows in bright green and crimson red stripes behind glass and against the dark background of a museum exhibit. A few illegible, backlit display signs surround the large rock.

Environment

How minerals and rocks reflect rainbows, glow in the dark, and otherwise blow your mind How minerals and rocks reflect rainbows, glow in the dark, and otherwise blow your mind

By Lauren Leffer

4 New Technologies That Will Carry The Weight Of War

Technology

4 New Technologies That Will Carry The Weight Of War 4 New Technologies That Will Carry The Weight Of War

Why Wild Animals Are Moving Into Cities, And What To Do About It

Environment

Why Wild Animals Are Moving Into Cities, And What To Do About It Why Wild Animals Are Moving Into Cities, And What To Do About It

By John Mahoney

In Ancient Ice, Clues That Scientists Are Underestimating Future Sea Levels

Environment

In Ancient Ice, Clues That Scientists Are Underestimating Future Sea Levels In Ancient Ice, Clues That Scientists Are Underestimating Future Sea Levels

By John Mahoney

Our go-to weapon against heatwaves? A dirty backup power source.

Environment

Our go-to weapon against heatwaves? A dirty backup power source. Our go-to weapon against heatwaves? A dirty backup power source.

By Angely Mercado

A speckled, white, beige, and lemon yellow gecko sits against a blue background.

Health

These popular pet lizards may hold the key to studying skin cancer These popular pet lizards may hold the key to studying skin cancer

By Lauren Leffer

These ancient deep-sea fish can live five times as long as biologists expected

Environment

These ancient deep-sea fish can live five times as long as biologists expected These ancient deep-sea fish can live five times as long as biologists expected

rooftop solar panel on house

Environment

Power companies are lobbying to make rooftop solar more expensive Power companies are lobbying to make rooftop solar more expensive

Aliens used to keep our fear of extinction at bay—then we realized how alone we are

Science

Aliens used to keep our fear of extinction at bay—then we realized how alone we are Aliens used to keep our fear of extinction at bay—then we realized how alone we are

By Thomas Moynihan/The Conversation

Polar Bears Might Survive Ice Melting By Hunting New Prey

Environment

Polar Bears Might Survive Ice Melting By Hunting New Prey Polar Bears Might Survive Ice Melting By Hunting New Prey

By Grennan Milliken

American Black Bear

Environment

Experiment: Look At Pictures Of Cute Baby Animals To Improve Your Concentration Experiment: Look At Pictures Of Cute Baby Animals To Improve Your Concentration

By Dan Nosowitz

Why Aren’t We Eating More Bugs?

Health

Why Aren’t We Eating More Bugs? Why Aren’t We Eating More Bugs?

By Alexandra Ossola

What companies really mean when they say they’re ‘net-zero’

Environment

What companies really mean when they say they’re ‘net-zero’ What companies really mean when they say they’re ‘net-zero’

By Sara Kiley Watson

A close-up of juvenile Hawaiian bobtail squid.

Science

Dozens of baby squid are orbiting our planet right now Dozens of baby squid are orbiting our planet right now

Estuaries could power us to a low-carbon future

Environment

Estuaries could power us to a low-carbon future Estuaries could power us to a low-carbon future