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

Jeremy the snail and baby

Environment

In loving memory of Jeremy, the one-in-a-million mutant snail In loving memory of Jeremy, the one-in-a-million mutant snail

By Rachel Feltman

It looks like we’re in for another La Niña winter. What does that mean?

Environment

It looks like we’re in for another La Niña winter. What does that mean? It looks like we’re in for another La Niña winter. What does that mean?

By Sara Chodosh

Pythons are invading Florida. Meet the scientists fighting back.

Environment

Pythons are invading Florida. Meet the scientists fighting back. Pythons are invading Florida. Meet the scientists fighting back.

By Kate Baggaley

There’s no such thing as clean coal

Environment

There’s no such thing as clean coal There’s no such thing as clean coal

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Hurricane Ophelia is one extremely weird storm

Environment

Hurricane Ophelia is one extremely weird storm Hurricane Ophelia is one extremely weird storm

By Dennis Mersereau

One Australian island has a bold plan to annihilate all its rats

Environment

One Australian island has a bold plan to annihilate all its rats One Australian island has a bold plan to annihilate all its rats

By Ellen Airhart

Longhorn beetle

Environment

These are the most beautiful pictures of bugs you will ever see These are the most beautiful pictures of bugs you will ever see

By Mary Beth Griggs

a kitten in fall leaves

Environment

Where the heck is autumn? Where the heck is autumn?

By Rachel Feltman

A clownfish can take on a shark, but this predicament may prove harder to handle

Environment

A clownfish can take on a shark, but this predicament may prove harder to handle A clownfish can take on a shark, but this predicament may prove harder to handle

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

These dirty birds show why we need natural history museums

Environment

These dirty birds show why we need natural history museums These dirty birds show why we need natural history museums

By Mary Beth Griggs

The world’s fastest shark is in trouble

Environment

The world’s fastest shark is in trouble The world’s fastest shark is in trouble

By Kate Baggaley

A visible satellite image of Tropical Storm Nate in the Caribbean Sea on October 6, 2017.

Environment

Nate could hit the Gulf Coast as a hurricane on Saturday night Nate could hit the Gulf Coast as a hurricane on Saturday night

By Dennis Mersereau

Puppies are the culprits behind a 12-state diarrhea disaster

Environment

Puppies are the culprits behind a 12-state diarrhea disaster Puppies are the culprits behind a 12-state diarrhea disaster

By Sara Chodosh

The front end of a tapeworm

Environment

From tapeworm heads to weevil sex, 10 big photos of tiny things From tapeworm heads to weevil sex, 10 big photos of tiny things

By Ellen Airhart

children carrying water

Environment

Water shortages amplify the potential for violence Water shortages amplify the potential for violence

By Marlene Cimons

These creatures are smart, playful, and incredibly alien

Environment

These creatures are smart, playful, and incredibly alien These creatures are smart, playful, and incredibly alien

By Sy Montgomery

These male jumping spiders evolved dance moves because the ladies ignore them

Environment

These male jumping spiders evolved dance moves because the ladies ignore them These male jumping spiders evolved dance moves because the ladies ignore them

By Sara Chodosh

Another hurricane could threaten the Gulf Coast this weekend

Environment

Another hurricane could threaten the Gulf Coast this weekend Another hurricane could threaten the Gulf Coast this weekend

By Dennis Mersereau

When a hurricane finally passes, it spreads deadly disease in its wake

Health

When a hurricane finally passes, it spreads deadly disease in its wake When a hurricane finally passes, it spreads deadly disease in its wake

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Participating in #NoRedOctober is good. Meatless Mondays are better.

Environment

Participating in #NoRedOctober is good. Meatless Mondays are better. Participating in #NoRedOctober is good. Meatless Mondays are better.

By Sophie Bushwick

The conditions to blame for 2017’s wildly destructive hurricane season

Environment

The conditions to blame for 2017’s wildly destructive hurricane season The conditions to blame for 2017’s wildly destructive hurricane season

By Dennis Mersereau

Cow farts are an even bigger problem than we thought

Environment

Cow farts are an even bigger problem than we thought Cow farts are an even bigger problem than we thought

By Sara Chodosh

Archive Gallery: PopSci Hunts For Mythical Beasts

Environment

Archive Gallery: PopSci Hunts For Mythical Beasts Archive Gallery: PopSci Hunts For Mythical Beasts

Archive Gallery: Man vs. Shark

Environment

Archive Gallery: Man vs. Shark Archive Gallery: Man vs. Shark

Archive Gallery: A Century of Weather Control

Environment

Archive Gallery: A Century of Weather Control Archive Gallery: A Century of Weather Control

By Colin Lecher

rescue workers in flood

Environment

There’s actually no such thing as a natural disaster There’s actually no such thing as a natural disaster

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

This hurricane season has been brutal—but it’s not over yet. What’s coming next?

Environment

This hurricane season has been brutal—but it’s not over yet. What’s coming next? This hurricane season has been brutal—but it’s not over yet. What’s coming next?

By Dennis Mersereau

To fight antibiotic resistance, we need higher taxes—or fewer meat eaters

Environment

To fight antibiotic resistance, we need higher taxes—or fewer meat eaters To fight antibiotic resistance, we need higher taxes—or fewer meat eaters

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Tons of living animals have floated from Japan to Oregon on plastic junk

Environment

Tons of living animals have floated from Japan to Oregon on plastic junk Tons of living animals have floated from Japan to Oregon on plastic junk

By Ellen Airhart

dogs in pile of dirty laundry

Environment

Bad news: Bed bugs like the smell of your dirty laundry Bad news: Bed bugs like the smell of your dirty laundry

By Sara Chodosh

Elusive, unusually large tree-dwelling rodent discovered in the Solomon Islands

Environment

Elusive, unusually large tree-dwelling rodent discovered in the Solomon Islands Elusive, unusually large tree-dwelling rodent discovered in the Solomon Islands

By Mary Beth Griggs

httpswww.popsci.comsitespopsci.comfilesimages201709header.jpeg

Environment

Evaporating lakes could help power the country, day and night Evaporating lakes could help power the country, day and night

By Marlene Cimons

How Lakes Can Generate Electricity

Environment

How Lakes Can Generate Electricity How Lakes Can Generate Electricity

By Marlene Cimons

Florida’s climate might—maybe—save a handful of America’s ash trees

Environment

Florida’s climate might—maybe—save a handful of America’s ash trees Florida’s climate might—maybe—save a handful of America’s ash trees

By Ellen Airhart

A warming Arctic can actually make our winters colder

Environment

A warming Arctic can actually make our winters colder A warming Arctic can actually make our winters colder

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

The Black Death helped reveal how long humans have polluted the planet

Environment

The Black Death helped reveal how long humans have polluted the planet The Black Death helped reveal how long humans have polluted the planet

By Kate Baggaley

The anatomy of a hurricane, from its eye to its swirling winds

Environment

The anatomy of a hurricane, from its eye to its swirling winds The anatomy of a hurricane, from its eye to its swirling winds

By Dennis Mersereau

These hermit crabs shack up inside living coral instead of mere shells

Environment

These hermit crabs shack up inside living coral instead of mere shells These hermit crabs shack up inside living coral instead of mere shells

By Mary Beth Griggs

beelzebufo illustration

Environment

Giant ancient frogs might have snacked on baby dinosaurs Giant ancient frogs might have snacked on baby dinosaurs

By Rachel Feltman

Earthquakes are even harder to predict than we thought

Environment

Earthquakes are even harder to predict than we thought Earthquakes are even harder to predict than we thought

By Mary Beth Griggs

Environment

These jellyfish don’t have brains, but still somehow seem to sleep These jellyfish don’t have brains, but still somehow seem to sleep

By Nicole Wetsman

To save the planet, scientists figured out how to fix cow farts

Environment

To save the planet, scientists figured out how to fix cow farts To save the planet, scientists figured out how to fix cow farts

By Marlene Cimons

When growing their penises for the season, ducks bend to social pressure

Environment

When growing their penises for the season, ducks bend to social pressure When growing their penises for the season, ducks bend to social pressure

By Ellen Airhart

A frog couple has sex. The male is yellow.

Science

These frogs might change color to avoid confusion during orgies These frogs might change color to avoid confusion during orgies

By Ellen Airhart

hurricane maria map

Environment

Hurricane Maria proves how difficult it is to predict a storm’s devastation Hurricane Maria proves how difficult it is to predict a storm’s devastation

By Dennis Mersereau

Environment

All the ways hurricanes can harm—and help—the ecosystems they hit All the ways hurricanes can harm—and help—the ecosystems they hit

By Kate Baggaley

purple sea cucumber

Environment

Mysterious sea monsters that wash ashore are rarely mysterious (and never monsters) Mysterious sea monsters that wash ashore are rarely mysterious (and never monsters)

By Sara Chodosh

Stuck in a hurricane? Don’t forget to look out for tornadoes.

Environment

Stuck in a hurricane? Don’t forget to look out for tornadoes. Stuck in a hurricane? Don’t forget to look out for tornadoes.

By Dennis Mersereau

Scientists use light to purge defects from solar cells

Environment

Scientists use light to purge defects from solar cells Scientists use light to purge defects from solar cells

By Jeremy Deaton

aerial crop art keystone pipeline

Environment

This land is (still) their land. Meet the Nebraskan farmers fighting Keystone XL This land is (still) their land. Meet the Nebraskan farmers fighting Keystone XL

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

This year’s Ig Nobel prizes for unusual research honored old man ears and the fluidity of cats

Environment

This year’s Ig Nobel prizes for unusual research honored old man ears and the fluidity of cats This year’s Ig Nobel prizes for unusual research honored old man ears and the fluidity of cats

By Ellen Airhart

Tropical Storm Jose may leave the U.S. alone—but it’s too soon to know for sure

Environment

Tropical Storm Jose may leave the U.S. alone—but it’s too soon to know for sure Tropical Storm Jose may leave the U.S. alone—but it’s too soon to know for sure

By Dennis Mersereau

Squirrels are so organized it’s nuts

Environment

Squirrels are so organized it’s nuts Squirrels are so organized it’s nuts

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Eel shocks scientist

Environment

One scientist’s truly shocking quest to understand eels One scientist’s truly shocking quest to understand eels

By Ellen Airhart

Octlantis: Where octopuses buck tradition and live in groups

Environment

Octlantis: Where octopuses buck tradition and live in groups Octlantis: Where octopuses buck tradition and live in groups

By Rachel Feltman

The world’s bananas are under attack

Environment

The world’s bananas are under attack The world’s bananas are under attack

By Kate Baggaley

Wildfires raged over nine states for the first half of September. Here’s what will rise from the ashes.

Environment

Wildfires raged over nine states for the first half of September. Here’s what will rise from the ashes. Wildfires raged over nine states for the first half of September. Here’s what will rise from the ashes.

By Ellen Airhart

The most striking images of Hurricane Irma

Environment

The most striking images of Hurricane Irma The most striking images of Hurricane Irma

By Mallory Johns

Meet the man fighting to save our country’s rarest chickens

Environment

Meet the man fighting to save our country’s rarest chickens Meet the man fighting to save our country’s rarest chickens

By Maryn McKenna

WATCH: How big was Hurricane Irma when it hit Florida?

Environment

WATCH: How big was Hurricane Irma when it hit Florida? WATCH: How big was Hurricane Irma when it hit Florida?

By Tom McNamara

You don’t want these parasites to go extinct

Environment

You don’t want these parasites to go extinct You don’t want these parasites to go extinct

By Ellen Airhart

The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble

Environment

The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble

By Marlene Cimons

What Florida residents should expect from Hurricane Irma

Environment

What Florida residents should expect from Hurricane Irma What Florida residents should expect from Hurricane Irma

By Dennis Mersereau

Our pollution might actually be causing thunderstorms

Environment

Our pollution might actually be causing thunderstorms Our pollution might actually be causing thunderstorms

By Kendra Pierre-Louis