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

wild green honeykeeper bilateral gynandromorphism

Science

These birds break the sex binary like it’s nothing These birds break the sex binary like it’s nothing

By Popular Science Team

Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon

Gear

Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon Control your hungry kitty’s portions with up to 40% off PETLIBRO automatic cat feeders at Amazon

Project 821 hydrogen fuel superyacht in port

Environment

Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht

three sperm whales swimming near the surface of the ocean

Environment

Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’ Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’

By Laura Baisas

an adult peregrine falcon feeds four chicks

Environment

Watch four Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest on Alcatraz Island Watch four Peregrine falcon chicks in a nest on Alcatraz Island

By Laura Baisas

a sea lion on its front legs on a pier

Environment

Gaze at the gregarious sea lions setting records in San Francisco Gaze at the gregarious sea lions setting records in San Francisco

By Popular Science Team

A tidal stream energy generator called the O2, made by Orbital Marine Power Ltd, extracts energy from the tides off the coast of Scotland and feeds it into the electric grid.

Environment

Testing the waters: Scotland surges ahead on ocean Power Testing the waters: Scotland surges ahead on ocean Power

By Dan Falk / Undark

a seagull stands on a post by a large and sparkling body of blue water

Environment

Bigger-brained gull species thrive in urban spaces Bigger-brained gull species thrive in urban spaces

By Laura Baisas

What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat?

Environment

What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat? What happened when scientists taught parrots to video chat?

By Mack DeGeurin

Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate

Science

Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate Belugas may be jiggling their melons to communicate

Close up of orangutan

Environment

Orangutan observed using a plant to treat an open wound Orangutan observed using a plant to treat an open wound

They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders

Environment

They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders They swim and they spin: Meet the aquatic spiders

By Amber Dance/Knowable Magazine

Intercropped tomato (left) compared to monocropped tomatoes (right). Both were planted on the same day, but here we can see that the intercropped tomato plant is larger, bears more fruit, and the tomatoes ripened earlier than its monocropped counterpart.

Science

Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Environment

Battery prices are plummeting. That’s good news for the planet. Battery prices are plummeting. That’s good news for the planet.

By Mack DeGeurin

seaweed underwater

Environment

What the heck is seaweed mining? What the heck is seaweed mining?

By Moira Donovan / Hakai Magazine

Boston Dynamics Spot robot in puppet dog costume sitting next to regular Spot robot.

Technology

Boston Dynamics gives Spot bot a furry makeover Boston Dynamics gives Spot bot a furry makeover

A mechanical analysis of the distinctive canines of California's saber-toothed cat (Smilodon fatalis) suggests that the baby tooth that preceded each saber stayed in place for years to stabilize the growing permanent saber tooth, perhaps allowing adolescents to learn how to hunt without breaking them.

Science

How saber-toothed cats’ baby teeth kept their adult fangs from breaking How saber-toothed cats’ baby teeth kept their adult fangs from breaking

By Laura Baisas

An October 1919 Popular Science story described hail cannons and similar technological efforts to alter weather patterns.

Environment

Cloud control: Humanity’s never-ending quest to control the weather Cloud control: Humanity’s never-ending quest to control the weather

By Bill Gourgey

close up of tire

Environment

Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs Tire toxicity faces fresh scrutiny after salmon die-offs

By Jim Robbins / KFF Health News

Used coffee grounds on the paper filter

DIY

10 clever ways to reuse coffee grounds 10 clever ways to reuse coffee grounds

By Debbie Wolfe

Environment

In the rush to decarbonize, the shipping industry is exploring alternative fuels In the rush to decarbonize, the shipping industry is exploring alternative fuels

By Chris Baraniuk / Hakai Magazine

Factory of the Future 1.0 3D printer with man standing in front of it

Technology

Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record

Science

Lab mice might be doing their own experiments Lab mice might be doing their own experiments

By Lauren Leffer

a small red squirrel with perked up ears sits on a tree branch

Environment

Early trauma can shorten a red squirrel’s lifespan Early trauma can shorten a red squirrel’s lifespan

By Laura Baisas

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

Technology

Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato? Can AI help tell the difference between a good and bad sweet potato?

By Mack DeGeurin

Environment

How deep does life go? How deep does life go?

By James Lawrence Powell / MIT Press Reader

Technology

Why animals run faster than their robot doppelgängers… for now Why animals run faster than their robot doppelgängers… for now

By Mack DeGeurin

a spike-toothed salmon fossil with its mouth open

Environment

This 400-pound prehistoric salmon had tusks like a warthog This 400-pound prehistoric salmon had tusks like a warthog

By Laura Baisas

These birds help humans hunt for honey—but it’s not as sweet as you might think

Science

These birds help humans hunt for honey—but it’s not as sweet as you might think These birds help humans hunt for honey—but it’s not as sweet as you might think

By Popular Science Team

a bioluminescent coral shaped like a fan with a central hub

Environment

Bioluminescence may have evolved 300 million years earlier than scientists previously thought Bioluminescence may have evolved 300 million years earlier than scientists previously thought

By Laura Baisas

A deadly Australia eastern brown snake

Environment

Don’t bring us the snake that bit you, Australian hospital says Don’t bring us the snake that bit you, Australian hospital says

Vitamix Food Cycler countertop composter with a picture of a hopper full of food on the left and a hopper full of processed mulch on the right.

Gear

Save $100 on the Vitamix countertop composter at Amazon for Earth Day Save $100 on the Vitamix countertop composter at Amazon for Earth Day

By Stan Horaczek

an orange, black, and white lemur sits in a tree

Environment

Critically endangered lemur attacked by vulnerable fosa in Madagascar Critically endangered lemur attacked by vulnerable fosa in Madagascar

By Laura Baisas

The algorithmic ocean: How AI is revolutionizing marine conservation

Technology

The algorithmic ocean: How AI is revolutionizing marine conservation The algorithmic ocean: How AI is revolutionizing marine conservation

By Karen Bakker / MIT Press Reader

a circular lamprey mouth dotted with teeth

Environment

Lampreys offer clues to the origin of our fight-or-flight instinct Lampreys offer clues to the origin of our fight-or-flight instinct

By Laura Baisas

a juvenile shark following an autonomous underwater robot

Environment

Baby sharks stick to the shallows Baby sharks stick to the shallows

By Laura Baisas

Anterior trunk vertebrae of Vasuki indicus.

Environment

Enormous snake in ancient India was longer than a school bus Enormous snake in ancient India was longer than a school bus

By Lauren Leffer

Geothermal power heats up

Environment

Geothermal power heats up Geothermal power heats up

By Katarina Zimmer / Knowable Magazine

Close-up photos of ReachBot.

Technology

Daddy long-legs-inspired robot could one day squirm through Martian caves Daddy long-legs-inspired robot could one day squirm through Martian caves

By Mack DeGeurin

an illustration of a large marine reptile beached on the sand, surrounded by two two-legged dinosaurs and several flying dinosaurs

Environment

New species of extinct marine reptile found with help from 11-year-old child New species of extinct marine reptile found with help from 11-year-old child

By Laura Baisas

an orange and black butterfly lands on a green leaf with purple flowers

Science

This butterfly hybrid thrived against evolutionary odds This butterfly hybrid thrived against evolutionary odds

By Laura Baisas

Low-frequency noise is pervasive. Does that matter?

Environment

Low-frequency noise is pervasive. Does that matter? Low-frequency noise is pervasive. Does that matter?

By Lourdes Medrano/Undark

a tardigrade floating around

Science

How super resilient tardigrades can fix their radiation-damaged DNA How super resilient tardigrades can fix their radiation-damaged DNA

By Laura Baisas

the moon over the red plateaus of the Petrified Forest National Park

Environment

The 12 most underrated national parks in the US The 12 most underrated national parks in the US

By Popular Science Team

an infected periodical cicada with a white fungal plug on its abdomen

Environment

This gnarly fungus makes cicadas hypersexual This gnarly fungus makes cicadas hypersexual

By Laura Baisas

smoke from a fire in front of the sun and over forests

DIY

How YOU can prevent wildfires How YOU can prevent wildfires

By Alisha McDarris

a toucan with an orange beak and black and white plumage sits in a tree with its mouth open

Environment

How fruit-eating birds could help regrow tropical forests How fruit-eating birds could help regrow tropical forests

By Laura Baisas

a cicada with red eyes and large wings sits in a leaf

Environment

The Cicadapocalypse is nigh. 7 cicada facts to know before it hits. The Cicadapocalypse is nigh. 7 cicada facts to know before it hits.

By Laura Baisas

Environment

Can green hydrogen production help bring oceanic dead zones back to life? Can green hydrogen production help bring oceanic dead zones back to life?

By Brian Owens / Hakai Magazine

An artist’s impression of southeastern South Australia during the Pleistocene epoch showing various plants and animals that lived there alongside Protemnodon. The almost one-tonne Zygomaturus trilobus in the bottom right. None of the kangaroos shown is a Protemnodon, but there are two short-faced kangaroos in the center-right. One wallaby is also being attacked by a Tasmanian tiger (top left).

Environment

Super-muscular 374-pound kangaroos once thumped around Australia and New Guinea Super-muscular 374-pound kangaroos once thumped around Australia and New Guinea

By Laura Baisas

a rock juts out under the pink sky during sunset

Environment

12 awe-inspiring landscape photos showing off Earth’s beauty 12 awe-inspiring landscape photos showing off Earth’s beauty

By Popular Science Team

CT scan of California condor egg

Environment

CT scans look inside a California condor egg CT scans look inside a California condor egg

one bonobo yells at another bonobo in a tree

Environment

‘Peaceful’ bonobos bite and push each other, actually ‘Peaceful’ bonobos bite and push each other, actually

By Laura Baisas

Chronic wasting disease in deer

Environment

How to control chronic wasting disease How to control chronic wasting disease

By James Gaines / Knowable Magazine

Cargo Ship in Panama Canal

Environment

A new solution proposed for drought-stricken Panama Canal goes around it A new solution proposed for drought-stricken Panama Canal goes around it

a close-up of an octopus eye

Environment

Why counting octopus ‘rings’ is crucial Why counting octopus ‘rings’ is crucial

By Laura Baisas

a green sea turtle swims in a large aquarium tank.

Environment

Myrtle the Turtle ‘in robust condition’ at age 95 Myrtle the Turtle ‘in robust condition’ at age 95

By Laura Baisas

ADHD may have evolved to give us foraging superpowers

Science

ADHD may have evolved to give us foraging superpowers ADHD may have evolved to give us foraging superpowers

By Popular Science Team

tug retractable dog leash and a dog on a sidewalk best overall retractable dog leash

Gear

The best retractable dog leashes of 2024 The best retractable dog leashes of 2024

By Chelsea Frank

People looking up at eclipse wearing protective glasses

Technology

Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality

two white beluga whales at the surface of the water

Environment

Toothed whales traded chewing for echolocation to evolve Toothed whales traded chewing for echolocation to evolve

By Laura Baisas

a transparent marine worm with two large reddish-orange eyes on the top of its head

Environment

Tiny worm with enormous eyes may have a ‘secret language’ Tiny worm with enormous eyes may have a ‘secret language’

By Laura Baisas

Researchers developed a 3D printer that can automatically identify the parameters of an unknown material on its own. The advance could help make 3D printing more sustainable, enabling printing with renewable or recyclable materials that are difficult to characterize.

Technology

3D printers just got a big, eco-friendly upgrade (in the lab) 3D printers just got a big, eco-friendly upgrade (in the lab)

a close up of a brown-colored frog called Haddadus binotatus

Environment

Humans can’t hear these frogs screaming Humans can’t hear these frogs screaming

By Laura Baisas