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

2017 beat the odds to be the second hottest year on record
Environment

2017 beat the odds to be the second hottest year on record

By Amal Ahmed

Nuclear reactors the size of wastebaskets could power our Martian settlements
Energy

Nuclear reactors the size of wastebaskets could power our Martian settlements

By Mary Beth Griggs

Hackers are attacking the electric grid
Energy

Hackers are attacking the electric grid

By Matt Hongoltz-Hetling

This tiny shark eats grass and it’s doing just fine
Animals

This tiny shark eats grass and it’s doing just fine

By Kate Baggaley

These companies claim blockchain could help fight climate change
Climate Change

These companies claim blockchain could help fight climate change

By Jeremy Deaton

Lightning, meet snowstorm: The makings of thundersnow
Environment

Lightning, meet snowstorm: The makings of thundersnow

By Kate Baggaley

Why cities where it definitely snows continue to act like they’ve never seen snow
Environment

Why cities where it definitely snows continue to act like they’ve never seen snow

By Eleanor Cummins

The grease recycling industry feeds on your city’s oily underbelly
Environment

The grease recycling industry feeds on your city’s oily underbelly

By Eleanor Cummins

No one knows if lobsters feel pain, which makes boiling them alive rather complicated
Animals

No one knows if lobsters feel pain, which makes boiling them alive rather complicated

By Sara Chodosh

I’ve dived in hundreds of underwater caves hunting for new forms of life
Environment

I’ve dived in hundreds of underwater caves hunting for new forms of life

By Tom Iliffe / The Conversation

atomic giant
Energy

Inside the country’s biggest nuclear power plant tear-down

By Mary Beth Griggs

The Montecito mudslide is a tragic reminder to respect our soil
Conservation

The Montecito mudslide is a tragic reminder to respect our soil

By Eleanor Cummins

Scientists are making carbon fiber from plants instead of petroleum
Energy

Scientists are making carbon fiber from plants instead of petroleum

By Jeremy Deaton

2017’s natural disasters are going to cost us
Environment

2017’s natural disasters are going to cost us

By Amal Ahmed

male superb bird of paradise
Animals

These bird feathers are so black your eyes can’t focus on them

By Dakota McCoy/The Conversation

Most male Emperor penguins fast for 115 days—but a few of them may sneak snacks
Animals

Most male Emperor penguins fast for 115 days—but a few of them may sneak snacks

By Mary Beth Griggs

Scientists are speed breeding plants in a race to beat climate change
Agriculture

Scientists are speed breeding plants in a race to beat climate change

By Marlene Cimons

Can we actually stop using fossil fuels?
Energy

Can we actually stop using fossil fuels?

By Leslie Kaufman

Alaska is warming so quickly that weather algorithms can’t keep up
Climate Change

Alaska is warming so quickly that weather algorithms can’t keep up

By Sara Chodosh

Seagulls are eating all of our garbage
Animals

Seagulls are eating all of our garbage

By Kate Baggaley

Why can’t we decide what to do about nuclear energy?
Energy

Why can’t we decide what to do about nuclear energy?

By Mary Beth Griggs

We need to stop letting our pets get fat
Animals

We need to stop letting our pets get fat

By Deborah Linder/The Conversation

How do fireflies power their blinking butts?
Animals

How do fireflies power their blinking butts?

By Nicole Wetsman

This week, it was colder in Florida than it was in Alaska
Climate Change

This week, it was colder in Florida than it was in Alaska

By Eleanor Cummins

Can it be too cold to snow?
Environment

Can it be too cold to snow?

By Eleanor Cummins

Does all this cold weather mean there will be fewer mosquitoes next summer?
Animals

Does all this cold weather mean there will be fewer mosquitoes next summer?

By Mary Beth Griggs

Hold onto your butts: Don’t let dogs get stoned on your leftover weed
Animals

Hold onto your butts: Don’t let dogs get stoned on your leftover weed

By Eleanor Cummins

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018
Environment

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018

By Ralf Gertisser, Katie Preece, and Sylvain Charbonnier/The Conversation

This is the most powerful moment in Olympic sport
Energy

This is the most powerful moment in Olympic sport

By Claire Maldarelli

WATCH: Bill Nye on science media, politics, and the feature film he wants to make
Climate Change

WATCH: Bill Nye on science media, politics, and the feature film he wants to make

By Jason Lederman

This is how a molten salt nuclear reactor works
Energy

This is how a molten salt nuclear reactor works

By Ellen Airhart

Mysterious double ‘whirlpools’ are popping up in the ocean
Conservation

Mysterious double ‘whirlpools’ are popping up in the ocean

By Kate Baggaley

Jupiter’s moon could hide life.
Environment

The most uplifting science stories of 2017

By Rachel Feltman

What to do if your dog eats your Christmas chocolates
Animals

What to do if your dog eats your Christmas chocolates

By Claire Maldarelli

Greek yogurt creates a ton of wheyst—but wheyt! There may be a whey forward for all that whey.
Energy

Greek yogurt creates a ton of wheyst—but wheyt! There may be a whey forward for all that whey.

By Claire Maldarelli

Pinecones could help make buildings more energy efficient
Climate Change

Pinecones could help make buildings more energy efficient

By Marlene Cimons

Four ways natural history museums can skew reality
Animals

Four ways natural history museums can skew reality

By Jack Ashby/The Conversation

New York City isn’t ready for the catastrophic floods in its future
Climate Change

New York City isn’t ready for the catastrophic floods in its future

By Kate Baggaley

Yes, monkeys are having sex with deer. Why would they do that?
Animals

Yes, monkeys are having sex with deer. Why would they do that?

By Rachel Feltman

Corals grow in patterns, even if we can’t always see them
Animals

Corals grow in patterns, even if we can’t always see them

By Kate Baggaley

ocean
Conservation

California’s wildfires are affecting the oceans—and these researchers are the first to study it

By Nicole Wetsman

Road salt is actually pretty terrible for the planet
Environment

Road salt is actually pretty terrible for the planet

By Jamie Summers and Robin Valleau/The Conversation

Icicles on branches.
Climate Change

Scientists are enrolling trees in a wet bark contest to understand the effects of ice storms

By Marlene Cimons

Now we know why Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall was so intense
Climate Change

Now we know why Hurricane Harvey’s rainfall was so intense

By Mary Beth Griggs

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin
Animals

The world’s fastest shark is no match for a sack of flaccid hagfish skin

By Sara Chodosh

Anti-smoking tactics might help us fight climate change
Climate Change

Anti-smoking tactics might help us fight climate change

By Simon Dalby/The Conversation

Interstate 95 Traffic Jam In Miami
Climate Change

Air pollution can make kids behave badly

By Nicole Wetsman

HTHH
Environment

This tiny South Pacific Island should be dead by now, but it’s still alive and kicking

By Mary Beth Griggs

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about
Animals

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

By Rachel Feltman

a woman at a switchboard listening
Environment

Earth’s most mysterious hums, ranked

By Rachel Feltman

We’re scientists who turn hurricanes into music
Environment

We’re scientists who turn hurricanes into music

By Mark Ballora and Jenni Evans/The Conversation

The U.S. health care industry could learn a lot from India’s doctors
Climate Change

The U.S. health care industry could learn a lot from India’s doctors

By Marlene Cimons

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death
Animals

Humans may be scaring narwhals to death

By Kate Baggaley

Reconstruction of the amphibious bird-like dinosaur Halszkaraptor
Animals

This new, duck-like dinosaur is so wacky scientists thought it was fake

By Rachel Feltman

Cuddling up may keep red-bellied lemurs healthy
Animals

Cuddling up may keep red-bellied lemurs healthy

By Claire Maldarelli

Dugong
Animals

Local knowledge can save endangered animals

By Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, Benjamin L. Jones, and Richard K.F. Unsworth/The Conversation

sea star
Animals

These aquatic creatures eat in seriously strange ways

By Sara Chodosh

You have to admit that this horseshoe crab looks just like Darth Vader
Animals

You have to admit that this horseshoe crab looks just like Darth Vader

By Mary Beth Griggs

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws
Animals

Cecil the Lion’s infamous death didn’t actually do much to change trophy-hunting laws

By Kate Baggaley

Preventing deforestation might be expensive, but it will cost us more if we don’t
Climate Change

Preventing deforestation might be expensive, but it will cost us more if we don’t

By Marlene Cimons

Tesla actually built the world’s biggest battery. Here’s how it works.
Climate Change

Tesla actually built the world’s biggest battery. Here’s how it works.

By Rob Verger

Turkey poop could help save us from ourselves
Climate Change

Turkey poop could help save us from ourselves

By Marlene Cimons

We spend most of the year eating really, really old apples. Why do they taste so good?
Agriculture

We spend most of the year eating really, really old apples. Why do they taste so good?

By Sara Chodosh

Rats have been in New York City since the 1700s and they’re never leaving
Animals

Rats have been in New York City since the 1700s and they’re never leaving

By Ellen Airhart

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