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

Tropical Storm Barry’s biggest threat is already on the ground

Environment

Tropical Storm Barry’s biggest threat is already on the ground Tropical Storm Barry’s biggest threat is already on the ground

By Marion Renault

Homemade dog food can actually deprive pets of essential nutrients

Health

Homemade dog food can actually deprive pets of essential nutrients Homemade dog food can actually deprive pets of essential nutrients

By Sara Chodosh

Zebrafish could teach humans a lot about the science of sleep

Environment

Zebrafish could teach humans a lot about the science of sleep Zebrafish could teach humans a lot about the science of sleep

By Donavyn Coffey

How to selfie responsibly, and other tips for not damaging wildlife on vacation

Environment

How to selfie responsibly, and other tips for not damaging wildlife on vacation How to selfie responsibly, and other tips for not damaging wildlife on vacation

By Tracie McKinney/The Conversation

What’s the best straw?

Environment

What’s the best straw? What’s the best straw?

By Eleanor Cummins

Arctic lead pollution can tell us a lot about medieval economies

Environment

Arctic lead pollution can tell us a lot about medieval economies Arctic lead pollution can tell us a lot about medieval economies

Pets can donate blood too

Environment

Pets can donate blood too Pets can donate blood too

What avocados and clownfish have in common, sexually speaking

Environment

What avocados and clownfish have in common, sexually speaking What avocados and clownfish have in common, sexually speaking

By Sara Chodosh

Gorillas can be cliquey, too. Here’s what that says about our own social lives.

Science

Gorillas can be cliquey, too. Here’s what that says about our own social lives. Gorillas can be cliquey, too. Here’s what that says about our own social lives.

By Marion Renault

These rare blue clouds could be headed your way

Environment

These rare blue clouds could be headed your way These rare blue clouds could be headed your way

By Jon Perrett/The Conversation

The shakiest earthquake myths debunked

Environment

The shakiest earthquake myths debunked The shakiest earthquake myths debunked

We can plant trees to save the planet. But it’s harder than it sounds.

Environment

We can plant trees to save the planet. But it’s harder than it sounds. We can plant trees to save the planet. But it’s harder than it sounds.

Modern medicine still needs leeches

Environment

Modern medicine still needs leeches Modern medicine still needs leeches

By Marion Renault

Woman holding glass of water

Environment

Here’s how a faucet filter reduces contaminants in your tap water Here’s how a faucet filter reduces contaminants in your tap water

By Lisa Freedman

How do deer grow antlers so quickly?

Environment

How do deer grow antlers so quickly? How do deer grow antlers so quickly?

By Matthew Every/ Outdoor Life

A beginner’s guide to butterfly watching

DIY

A beginner’s guide to butterfly watching A beginner’s guide to butterfly watching

By Marion Renault

This killer belt of seaweed stretches all the way across the Atlantic

Environment

This killer belt of seaweed stretches all the way across the Atlantic This killer belt of seaweed stretches all the way across the Atlantic

The real-world Mount Doom just erupted (again)

Environment

The real-world Mount Doom just erupted (again) The real-world Mount Doom just erupted (again)

By Eleanor Cummins

Everything you need to know about uranium

Environment

Everything you need to know about uranium Everything you need to know about uranium

By Eleanor Cummins

Vandals, angry artists, and mustachioed tinkerers: The story of New York City’s weather forecasting castle

Environment

Vandals, angry artists, and mustachioed tinkerers: The story of New York City’s weather forecasting castle Vandals, angry artists, and mustachioed tinkerers: The story of New York City’s weather forecasting castle

By Eleanor Cummins

The FDA says grain-free food could be killing dogs. Here’s what pet owners should know.

Health

The FDA says grain-free food could be killing dogs. Here’s what pet owners should know. The FDA says grain-free food could be killing dogs. Here’s what pet owners should know.

By Sara Chodosh

After the dinosaurs died, lichens found a way

Science

After the dinosaurs died, lichens found a way After the dinosaurs died, lichens found a way

By Marion Renault

Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse

Environment

Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse Feral pigs are ruining ecosystems across 35 states and hunting is making it worse

melted plasticware

Technology

Scientists are making progress with better plastic-eating bacteria Scientists are making progress with better plastic-eating bacteria

By Sarah Scoles

We’re running out of helium

Environment

We’re running out of helium We’re running out of helium

By Claire Maldarelli

The Atlantic cod’s migratory supergene comes at a cost

Environment

The Atlantic cod’s migratory supergene comes at a cost The Atlantic cod’s migratory supergene comes at a cost

By Donavyn Coffey

This cheap smartphone sensor could help you tell if old food is safe to eat

Environment

This cheap smartphone sensor could help you tell if old food is safe to eat This cheap smartphone sensor could help you tell if old food is safe to eat

By Marlene Cimons/Nexus Media

Climate change highlighted text roundup

Environment

Keeping up with climate change: the latest news in one place Keeping up with climate change: the latest news in one place

By Eleanor Cummins

We battled hordes of tourists to put a weather station in Everest’s ‘death zone’

Environment

We battled hordes of tourists to put a weather station in Everest’s ‘death zone’ We battled hordes of tourists to put a weather station in Everest’s ‘death zone’

By Tom Matthews/The Conversation

Natural selection can’t explain this bug’s bizarre horn

Science

Natural selection can’t explain this bug’s bizarre horn Natural selection can’t explain this bug’s bizarre horn

The weirdest things we learned this week: Two sleeps are better than one

Science

The weirdest things we learned this week: Two sleeps are better than one The weirdest things we learned this week: Two sleeps are better than one

By Popular Science Team

Air pollution can ruin the health benefits of ‘walkable’ neighborhoods

Environment

Air pollution can ruin the health benefits of ‘walkable’ neighborhoods Air pollution can ruin the health benefits of ‘walkable’ neighborhoods

By Nicole Wetsman

This probiotic is going to bat against a horrifying fungal plague

Environment

This probiotic is going to bat against a horrifying fungal plague This probiotic is going to bat against a horrifying fungal plague

Plants couldn’t run away from Chernobyl—but that’s what saved them

Health

Plants couldn’t run away from Chernobyl—but that’s what saved them Plants couldn’t run away from Chernobyl—but that’s what saved them

By Stuart Thompson/The Conversation

Some trees can make droughts worse

Environment

Some trees can make droughts worse Some trees can make droughts worse

By Marion Renault

We finally have footage of a giant squid in U.S. waters

Environment

We finally have footage of a giant squid in U.S. waters We finally have footage of a giant squid in U.S. waters

By Sara Chodosh

Male ants are pretty much just flying sperm (and other amazing ant facts)

Environment

Male ants are pretty much just flying sperm (and other amazing ant facts) Male ants are pretty much just flying sperm (and other amazing ant facts)

By Charlie Durant, Max John, and Rob Hammond/The Conversation

We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes

Environment

We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes We waste 40 percent of the food we grow—here’s where it goes

The ‘life support system of the biosphere’ is in peril

Environment

The ‘life support system of the biosphere’ is in peril The ‘life support system of the biosphere’ is in peril

These flesh-eating bacteria are finding new beaches to call home

Health

These flesh-eating bacteria are finding new beaches to call home These flesh-eating bacteria are finding new beaches to call home

By Sara Chodosh

New York is passing its own Green New Deal

Environment

New York is passing its own Green New Deal New York is passing its own Green New Deal

What kind of reusable bag is best for the planet?

Environment

What kind of reusable bag is best for the planet? What kind of reusable bag is best for the planet?

Today’s exotic pets are tomorrow’s invasive pests

Environment

Today’s exotic pets are tomorrow’s invasive pests Today’s exotic pets are tomorrow’s invasive pests

By Marion Renault

How a foreign country hacks a power grid

Technology

How a foreign country hacks a power grid How a foreign country hacks a power grid

grapes on the vine in a vineyard

Environment

Artificial intelligence could help farmers water only the thirsty plants Artificial intelligence could help farmers water only the thirsty plants

By Jeremy Deaton

Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat

Environment

Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat Scientists just debunked a major myth about heirloom wheat

More electric cars means more mining, but recycling could help minimize the impact

Technology

More electric cars means more mining, but recycling could help minimize the impact More electric cars means more mining, but recycling could help minimize the impact

By Jeremy Deaton

Plastic bags are still bad for the environment, despite misleading reports

Environment

Plastic bags are still bad for the environment, despite misleading reports Plastic bags are still bad for the environment, despite misleading reports

Scientists are still straightening out the history of zebra stripes

Science

Scientists are still straightening out the history of zebra stripes Scientists are still straightening out the history of zebra stripes

By Donavyn Coffey

Bitcoin mining’s carbon emissions are on-par with that of a small country

Environment

Bitcoin mining’s carbon emissions are on-par with that of a small country Bitcoin mining’s carbon emissions are on-par with that of a small country

A red tide devastated Florida marine life for 16 months. Why?

Environment

A red tide devastated Florida marine life for 16 months. Why? A red tide devastated Florida marine life for 16 months. Why?

By Mallory Pickett

The weirdest things we learned this week: labor-inducing salads and cat-eating coyotes

Science

The weirdest things we learned this week: labor-inducing salads and cat-eating coyotes The weirdest things we learned this week: labor-inducing salads and cat-eating coyotes

By Rachel Feltman

Scientists are putting antibiotics into the ocean—on purpose. And it’s our only hope.

Environment

Scientists are putting antibiotics into the ocean—on purpose. And it’s our only hope. Scientists are putting antibiotics into the ocean—on purpose. And it’s our only hope.

Icebergs Greenland

Environment

Saving Greenland could save the world Saving Greenland could save the world

western yellow jacket wasp

Environment

The 10 worst insect stings in the wild The 10 worst insect stings in the wild

By Steven Hill/Field & Stream

Antarctica’s mysterious ice holes are finally making sense

Environment

Antarctica’s mysterious ice holes are finally making sense Antarctica’s mysterious ice holes are finally making sense

Steak made from insect meat? Yum!

Environment

Steak made from insect meat? Yum! Steak made from insect meat? Yum!

By Marlene Cimons

Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost

Environment

Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost Here’s how much a chocolate bar made without child labor would cost

By Donavyn Coffey

What is the difference between a tree and a shrub?

Environment

What is the difference between a tree and a shrub? What is the difference between a tree and a shrub?

By Eleanor Cummins

rhynchomys labo

Environment

Biologists discovered two new species of shrew rat, no thanks to peanut butter Biologists discovered two new species of shrew rat, no thanks to peanut butter

By Marion Renault

State parks could be 10 times more expensive to operate by 2050

Environment

State parks could be 10 times more expensive to operate by 2050 State parks could be 10 times more expensive to operate by 2050

This island is many frogs’ last hope for surviving the world’s deadliest pathogen

Health

This island is many frogs’ last hope for surviving the world’s deadliest pathogen This island is many frogs’ last hope for surviving the world’s deadliest pathogen

By Alex Schwartz

Koalas use their noses to find friends and avoid enemies

Environment

Koalas use their noses to find friends and avoid enemies Koalas use their noses to find friends and avoid enemies

By Ben Moore and Edward Narayan/The Conversation

Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might

Environment

Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might Humans can’t manage this invasive fly—but a mind-controlling fungi might

By Marion Renault