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

death valley national park

Environment

Some national parks won’t recover from the government shutdown for decades Some national parks won’t recover from the government shutdown for decades

Face to face with the sloth

Science

Sloths aren’t the picky eaters we thought they were Sloths aren’t the picky eaters we thought they were

By Jan Hoole/The Conversation

Wave climate change science

Environment

Ocean warming is making waves stronger—and that’s a problem Ocean warming is making waves stronger—and that’s a problem

The world’s oldest, deepest lake is full of life. Humans are changing that.

Environment

The world’s oldest, deepest lake is full of life. Humans are changing that. The world’s oldest, deepest lake is full of life. Humans are changing that.

By Marlene Cimons

bird plane strike Miracle on the Hudson research science

Environment

It’s the 10th anniversary of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson.’ Here’s what we’ve learned since. It’s the 10th anniversary of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson.’ Here’s what we’ve learned since.

By Eleanor Cummins

piedmontese bull homozygous myostatin

Environment

Why these animals (and one baby) are incredibly jacked Why these animals (and one baby) are incredibly jacked

By Sara Chodosh

This robot plants heat-resistant corals to save endangered reefs

Environment

This robot plants heat-resistant corals to save endangered reefs This robot plants heat-resistant corals to save endangered reefs

By Marlene Cimons

Polar vortex snowbank meteorology

Environment

The polar vortex split apart. Here’s what to expect. The polar vortex split apart. Here’s what to expect.

a great tit perches on some foliage

Environment

Great tits are killing birds and eating their brains. Climate change may be to blame. Great tits are killing birds and eating their brains. Climate change may be to blame.

By Jessica Boddy

This powder could cheaply capture carbon pollution from power plants

Environment

This powder could cheaply capture carbon pollution from power plants This powder could cheaply capture carbon pollution from power plants

By Marlene Cimons

city destroyed by earthquakes

Environment

Earthquake devastation will be our fault Earthquake devastation will be our fault

By Mary Beth Griggs

Why some coastal regions flood more easily than others

Environment

Why some coastal regions flood more easily than others Why some coastal regions flood more easily than others

By Marlene Cimons

Close-up of a cane toad sitting in grass

Environment

Toads on a python, and five other animals hitching rides on bigger animals Toads on a python, and five other animals hitching rides on bigger animals

By Jessica Boddy

Like your grandparents, monarch butterflies are now wintering in Florida

Environment

Like your grandparents, monarch butterflies are now wintering in Florida Like your grandparents, monarch butterflies are now wintering in Florida

plastic bottles

Environment

We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture—these charts will help We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture—these charts will help

By Sara Chodosh

broken ice over the ocean

Environment

In 2018, Alaska’s Bering Sea was all out of whack. In 2018, Alaska’s Bering Sea was all out of whack.

By Jillian Mock

How scientists collect lava from an active volcano

Environment

How scientists collect lava from an active volcano How scientists collect lava from an active volcano

By Claire Maldarelli

An inside look at the first solo trip to the deepest point of the Atlantic

Environment

An inside look at the first solo trip to the deepest point of the Atlantic An inside look at the first solo trip to the deepest point of the Atlantic

Loblolly pine trees in North Carolina

Environment

Tree resin could replace fossil fuels in everything from printer ink to shoe polish Tree resin could replace fossil fuels in everything from printer ink to shoe polish

By Marlene Cimons

Close-up image of a polar bear underwater.

Environment

The inventors of the polar bear treadmill are back with a new scientific contraption The inventors of the polar bear treadmill are back with a new scientific contraption

By Jillian Mock

Multi-colored plastic straws.

Environment

The EU just finalized an agreement to ban tons of single-use plastics The EU just finalized an agreement to ban tons of single-use plastics

a naked mole rat braces itself inside a tube

Environment

9 jaw-dropping facts about naked mole rats to celebrate the bloody ascent of their new queen 9 jaw-dropping facts about naked mole rats to celebrate the bloody ascent of their new queen

By Rachel Feltman

Wildfire from above

Environment

We need to talk about extreme weather We need to talk about extreme weather

By Jillian Mock

Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine

Environment

Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine Sex, starvation, and saltwater moats: snail farms are wilder than you could ever imagine

By Eleanor Cummins

Agave parryi huachucensis plant scan

Environment

These beautiful images preserve plant species that might otherwise disappear forever These beautiful images preserve plant species that might otherwise disappear forever

By Eleanor Cummins

Storm damaged house

Environment

After a natural disaster, houses get bigger not better After a natural disaster, houses get bigger not better

By Eleanor Cummins

Closeup of blow-fly or carrion fly Calliphoridae

Environment

Blow flies helped exonerate a woman of murder 17 years after the fact Blow flies helped exonerate a woman of murder 17 years after the fact

By Gail Anderson/The Conversation

a girl reads a textbook with a magnifying glass, and butterflies come out of the pages

Environment

Insects are disappearing from science textbooks—and that should bug you Insects are disappearing from science textbooks—and that should bug you

By Erin Blakemore

Environment

The Dracula ant snaps its jaw shut 5,000 times faster than you can blink The Dracula ant snaps its jaw shut 5,000 times faster than you can blink

By Sara Chodosh

Cloudy solar panels smog energy

Environment

Air pollution is choking solar energy around the world Air pollution is choking solar energy around the world

By Katarina Zimmer

Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic

Environment

The 2018 hurricane season was full of extremes. Here’s what we expect in 2019. The 2018 hurricane season was full of extremes. Here’s what we expect in 2019.

By Dennis Mersereau

permafrost layers

Environment

Earth’s cold storage is melting. Here’s what’s oozing out. Earth’s cold storage is melting. Here’s what’s oozing out.

Gribble me this: What eats wood and poops clean energy?

Environment

Gribble me this: What eats wood and poops clean energy? Gribble me this: What eats wood and poops clean energy?

By Marlene Cimons

country dramatic sunset red

Science

What gives a sunset its color? What gives a sunset its color?

By Andrew Zaleski

tungara frog call panama

Environment

Urban frogs are bringing sexy back—and threatening frogs of the woods Urban frogs are bringing sexy back—and threatening frogs of the woods

By Sara Chodosh

Western honey bee

Environment

He’s let thousands of insects bite and sting him—here’s what he’s learned He’s let thousands of insects bite and sting him—here’s what he’s learned

By Rachel Feltman

Tailpipe emissions rising again carbon dioxide climate change

Environment

The threat of climate change hasn’t curbed our carbon emissions—they’re at a record high The threat of climate change hasn’t curbed our carbon emissions—they’re at a record high

a large ice canyon with deep blue melted water in the middle

Environment

Greenland is melting much faster than we thought Greenland is melting much faster than we thought

By Neel V. Patel

gecko running water

Science

It turns out geckos can run on water—and this adorable video shows how It turns out geckos can run on water—and this adorable video shows how

By Sara Chodosh

Purple jellyfish float in the dark

Environment

The new jellyfish genome proves you don’t need weird genes to be a weirdo The new jellyfish genome proves you don’t need weird genes to be a weirdo

By Charlie Wood

hurricane florence from space

Environment

The 2018 hurricane season taught us some important lessons—so let’s not forget them The 2018 hurricane season taught us some important lessons—so let’s not forget them

By Dennis Mersereau

Spring season sun rising

Environment

The seasons are shifting, but redrawing their lines won’t erase the problem The seasons are shifting, but redrawing their lines won’t erase the problem

By Eleanor Cummins

carbon emissions

Environment

The U.S. keeps causing trouble at a crucial climate change summit The U.S. keeps causing trouble at a crucial climate change summit

lonesome george

Health

Lonesome George’s genes could reveal the secrets of longevity Lonesome George’s genes could reveal the secrets of longevity

By Sara Chodosh

a map of southern Alaska showing the center of the earthquake

Environment

Anchorage suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, but was spared a tsunami Anchorage suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, but was spared a tsunami

By Charlie Wood

Black truffles are in trouble

Environment

Black truffles are in trouble Black truffles are in trouble

By Marlene Cimons

These spiders make protein-packed milk for their young

Environment

These spiders make protein-packed milk for their young These spiders make protein-packed milk for their young

By Jillian Mock

The surprising link between balmy winters and violent crime

Environment

The surprising link between balmy winters and violent crime The surprising link between balmy winters and violent crime

By Marlene Cimons

What the new climate report says about where you live

Environment

What the new climate report says about where you live What the new climate report says about where you live

Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version

Science

Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version

By Sara Chodosh

Hurricanes are doing more damage and it’s our own fault

Environment

Hurricanes are doing more damage and it’s our own fault Hurricanes are doing more damage and it’s our own fault

By Sara Chodosh

How your dog could go vegan and still stay healthy

Environment

How your dog could go vegan and still stay healthy How your dog could go vegan and still stay healthy

By Sarah Treleaven

Termites built themselves a landfill the size of Great Britain

Environment

Termites built themselves a landfill the size of Great Britain Termites built themselves a landfill the size of Great Britain

By Charlie Wood

We finally know how wombats poop cubes

Environment

We finally know how wombats poop cubes We finally know how wombats poop cubes

california fire air quality

Environment

The air quality in San Francisco is so bad, being there for a day is like smoking 10 cigarettes The air quality in San Francisco is so bad, being there for a day is like smoking 10 cigarettes

By Nicole Wetsman

california fires five year infographic

Environment

See how much of California has burned in the last five years See how much of California has burned in the last five years

By Sara Chodosh

Environment

Visualizing California’s current fires, some of the deadliest and most destructive on record Visualizing California’s current fires, some of the deadliest and most destructive on record

By Sara Chodosh

Dry cleaning is dirtier than you think. Meet the neurotoxin hiding in your winter coat.

Health

Dry cleaning is dirtier than you think. Meet the neurotoxin hiding in your winter coat. Dry cleaning is dirtier than you think. Meet the neurotoxin hiding in your winter coat.

By Eleanor Cummins

Oceans are losing a football field of seagrass every 30 minutes

Environment

Oceans are losing a football field of seagrass every 30 minutes Oceans are losing a football field of seagrass every 30 minutes

By Marlene Cimons

Air pollution might make it harder to get pregnant

Environment

Air pollution might make it harder to get pregnant Air pollution might make it harder to get pregnant

By Nicole Wetsman

Wildfires can hurt you from miles away

Environment

Wildfires can hurt you from miles away Wildfires can hurt you from miles away

By Claire Maldarelli

forest fire fight

Environment

California’s forest management isn’t the problem California’s forest management isn’t the problem

Do plants poop?

Environment

Do plants poop? Do plants poop?

By Jenny Morber

Lyme disease is thriving thanks to climate change

Environment

Lyme disease is thriving thanks to climate change Lyme disease is thriving thanks to climate change

By Marlene Cimons