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

Affordable driverless cars could curb public transit

Technology

Affordable driverless cars could curb public transit Affordable driverless cars could curb public transit

By Shaena Montanari

The Battle Over Climate Science

Environment

The Battle Over Climate Science The Battle Over Climate Science

Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises

Science

Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises Important Scientific Mystery Solved: How Birds Lose Their Penises

By Lindsey Kratochwill

Will A Chicken That’s Fed Lemons Taste Like Lemons?

Environment

Will A Chicken That’s Fed Lemons Taste Like Lemons? Will A Chicken That’s Fed Lemons Taste Like Lemons?

By Dan Nosowitz

We’re doing a great job of creating renewable energy—but we don’t have the infrastructure to actually use it

Environment

We’re doing a great job of creating renewable energy—but we don’t have the infrastructure to actually use it We’re doing a great job of creating renewable energy—but we don’t have the infrastructure to actually use it

Environment

A chemical meant to save plants is actually killing them—and it’s spreading A chemical meant to save plants is actually killing them—and it’s spreading

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

I Met The World’s Smartest Dog

Environment

I Met The World’s Smartest Dog I Met The World’s Smartest Dog

By Dan Nosowitz

power plant smoke stack

Environment

John Kerry got slammed for a statement on carbon cutting tech. Is he right? John Kerry got slammed for a statement on carbon cutting tech. Is he right?

Environment

Jumping spiders have a mysterious nighttime habit Jumping spiders have a mysterious nighttime habit

By Ellie Shechet

The Chemistry of Kibble

Health

The Chemistry of Kibble The Chemistry of Kibble

Environment

8 Ways Jellyfish Are Awesome And Terrifying 8 Ways Jellyfish Are Awesome And Terrifying

By Shaunacy Ferro

Crumpled up paper waste

Environment

Modern paper use is wildly unsustainable. Here’s what you can do about it. Modern paper use is wildly unsustainable. Here’s what you can do about it.

By Laurie David and Heather Reisman

Where does your paper come from? The good and the bad news.

Environment

Where does your paper come from? The good and the bad news. Where does your paper come from? The good and the bad news.

By Shaena Montanari

To save monarch butterflies, we need more milkweed

Environment

To save monarch butterflies, we need more milkweed To save monarch butterflies, we need more milkweed

By Philip Kiefer

A Garibaldi fish swims through a California kelp forest.

Environment

These newly discovered sea sponges were hiding in plain sight in California’s kelp forests These newly discovered sea sponges were hiding in plain sight in California’s kelp forests

Casita from Tar Heel Ants

Environment

How to pick an ant farm for grown-ups How to pick an ant farm for grown-ups

By Eleanor Cummins

Bionic Bird Drone May Fool Actual Birds

Technology

Bionic Bird Drone May Fool Actual Birds Bionic Bird Drone May Fool Actual Birds

A tangle of macaque monkeys.

Environment

Laughter is a key part of play for many animals Laughter is a key part of play for many animals

Can industrial farming be a force for good?

Environment

Can industrial farming be a force for good? Can industrial farming be a force for good?

By Ted Genoways

Two divers collect coral samples from reef.

Environment

How divers found 4 new coral species, hidden in plain sight How divers found 4 new coral species, hidden in plain sight

street in new orleans louisana with power lines

Environment

Louisiana is making bold climate goals, but still wants its fossil fuels Louisiana is making bold climate goals, but still wants its fossil fuels

By Philip Kiefer

men in the snow

Environment

This is what a scientist wears to keep warm in -40°F This is what a scientist wears to keep warm in -40°F

By Stan Horaczek

Hammerfest, Norway

Environment

Arctic Report: How This Small Fishing Village Turned Into a Fossil Fuel Boomtown Arctic Report: How This Small Fishing Village Turned Into a Fossil Fuel Boomtown

By Breanna Draxler

Science

Scientists Rank World’s Most ‘Evolutionarily Distinct’ Birds Scientists Rank World’s Most ‘Evolutionarily Distinct’ Birds

Environment

Your Water Heater Can Become A High-Power Home Battery Your Water Heater Can Become A High-Power Home Battery

By Jeremy Deaton

Environment

10 Of New York City’s Most Surprising Animals 10 Of New York City’s Most Surprising Animals

By Alexandra Ossola

Drones flying toward the sun

Technology

Drones will fly into the path of the eclipse to study weather Drones will fly into the path of the eclipse to study weather

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Snowcloud One's flight into the eye

Environment

Inside the deadly heart of 1964’s Hurricane Cleo Inside the deadly heart of 1964’s Hurricane Cleo

By Popular Science, December 1964, by E.D. Fales Jr.

How to build a home that can resist any weather

Environment

How to build a home that can resist any weather How to build a home that can resist any weather

By Harlan Murphy

Environment

This rare ‘Finding Nemo’ fish mysteriously washed up on a California beach This rare ‘Finding Nemo’ fish mysteriously washed up on a California beach

Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination

Environment

Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination

By Ellie Shechet

a dam reservoir storing carbon

Environment

Dam reservoirs may be much bigger sources of carbon emissions than we thought Dam reservoirs may be much bigger sources of carbon emissions than we thought

By Philip Kiefer

a large globe held up at a protest

Environment

We can still slash emissions and survive climate change, but we’re running out of time We can still slash emissions and survive climate change, but we’re running out of time

pottery showing athletes jumping

Science

Ancient athletes did something truly shocking with their genitals Ancient athletes did something truly shocking with their genitals

By Popular Science Team

Environment

Cats love sitting in boxes so much they’ll even sit in fake ones Cats love sitting in boxes so much they’ll even sit in fake ones

By Sara Chodosh

DIY

Declawing cats is harmful. Do this instead. Declawing cats is harmful. Do this instead.

It’s not just methane—meat production fills the air with noxious particulate matter too

Environment

It’s not just methane—meat production fills the air with noxious particulate matter too It’s not just methane—meat production fills the air with noxious particulate matter too

By Shaena Montanari

agricultural field

Environment

The main ingredient in RoundUp doesn’t just kill plants. It harms beetles, too. The main ingredient in RoundUp doesn’t just kill plants. It harms beetles, too.

By Philip Kiefer

Sea lion swimming in green waters with N95 mask floating by

Science

14 hypnotizing photos that captured the world in and beyond the pandemic 14 hypnotizing photos that captured the world in and beyond the pandemic

By Popular Science Team

Trees need wind to reproduce. Climate change is messing that up.

Environment

Trees need wind to reproduce. Climate change is messing that up. Trees need wind to reproduce. Climate change is messing that up.

By Ellie Shechet

an old fashioned sketch of someone drinking out of a small glass on a green background with blue polka dots and a drawing of an eyeball

Science

People used to drink a very specific kind of urine to treat motion sickness People used to drink a very specific kind of urine to treat motion sickness

By Popular Science Team

Your lost shipment could be trashing a beach thousands of miles away

Environment

Your lost shipment could be trashing a beach thousands of miles away Your lost shipment could be trashing a beach thousands of miles away

By Shaena Montanari

French bulldog looking disturbed

Health

Your dog gets allergies for the same reasons you do Your dog gets allergies for the same reasons you do

Two round birds in a birdbath.

DIY

Build a classy, easy birdbath with vintage finds Build a classy, easy birdbath with vintage finds

By Natalie Wallington

Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas

Environment

Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas Sharks have a sixth sense for navigating the seas

By Ellie Shechet

rows of offshore wind turbines

Environment

Offshore wind has huge potential. Here’s how it could change the US. Offshore wind has huge potential. Here’s how it could change the US.

Periodical cicada with red eyes on a piece of wood

Environment

What we know—and don’t know—about Brood X cicadas What we know—and don’t know—about Brood X cicadas

By Purbita Saha

Male black jacobin hummingbird on a branch

Environment

Hummingbirds routinely hit 9Gs like it’s no big deal Hummingbirds routinely hit 9Gs like it’s no big deal

tagged green turtle

Environment

We may finally know where young turtles spend their ‘lost years’ We may finally know where young turtles spend their ‘lost years’

By Philip Kiefer

Baby mantis shrimp punch their prey with superior strength

Environment

Baby mantis shrimp punch their prey with superior strength Baby mantis shrimp punch their prey with superior strength

By Ellie Shechet

An empty TV frame overlooks a forest growing in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

Environment

Ultra-powerful X-rays are helping physicists understand Chernobyl Ultra-powerful X-rays are helping physicists understand Chernobyl

Health

The EPA is cracking down on more of the greenhouse gases in your fridge The EPA is cracking down on more of the greenhouse gases in your fridge

Estimated temperatures for the year 2090

Environment

These beautiful, terrifying maps show how hot we’ll get in 2090 These beautiful, terrifying maps show how hot we’ll get in 2090

By Sara Chodosh

It’s not your imagination, humidity really is killing you

Environment

It’s not your imagination, humidity really is killing you It’s not your imagination, humidity really is killing you

By Nicole Wetsman

Wheat farm and blue sky

Environment

Understanding plant biological clocks could boost future agriculture Understanding plant biological clocks could boost future agriculture

By Sara Kiley Watson

wasp eating bug

Environment

Wasps are the bee’s knees Wasps are the bee’s knees

By Philip Kiefer

pumpkin toadlet brachycelphalus rotenbergae with mouth open

Environment

This adorable new toadlet has glowing bones This adorable new toadlet has glowing bones

By Sara Chodosh

The real story behind the Biden burger-ban rumor

Environment

The real story behind the Biden burger-ban rumor The real story behind the Biden burger-ban rumor

By Sara Kiley Watson

Bacteria wars are raging in soil, and it’s keeping ecosystems healthy

Environment

Bacteria wars are raging in soil, and it’s keeping ecosystems healthy Bacteria wars are raging in soil, and it’s keeping ecosystems healthy

By Ellie Shechet

flooded house with cows on the porch

Environment

Homes in flood-prone areas should be getting cheaper. They’re not. Homes in flood-prone areas should be getting cheaper. They’re not.

By Philip Kiefer

Baboon sits on a tree branch in Kenya.

Environment

Baboon poop shows how chronic stress shortens lives Baboon poop shows how chronic stress shortens lives

Pollution from power plant.

Health

Car, factory, and power plant pollution can be damaging to kids’ mental health Car, factory, and power plant pollution can be damaging to kids’ mental health

By Shaena Montanari

An image of the praying mantis surrounded by leaves.

Environment

This female praying mantis has a persuasive body part it uses to find mates This female praying mantis has a persuasive body part it uses to find mates

Tiny air pollutants may come from different sources, but they all show a similar biased trend

Environment

Tiny air pollutants may come from different sources, but they all show a similar biased trend Tiny air pollutants may come from different sources, but they all show a similar biased trend

By Ellie Shechet