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

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

Environment

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

Environment

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

By Ellen Airhart

Health

Hospitals are scrambling to solve their air pollution issue Hospitals are scrambling to solve their air pollution issue

By Nicole Wetsman

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

Science

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

By Sara Chodosh

What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust

Environment

What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust What Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can teach us about Southern Africa’s ancient continental crust

By Ellen Airhart

Environment

Ranking the Types of Bear Species Ranking the Types of Bear Species

By Dan Nosowitz

Environment

Volcanic eruptions are incredibly hard to predict. Here’s why. Volcanic eruptions are incredibly hard to predict. Here’s why.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Light pollution is getting worse

Environment

Light pollution is getting worse Light pollution is getting worse

By Rachel Feltman

two children walking outside

Environment

Here’s even more evidence that you need to spend time enjoying nature Here’s even more evidence that you need to spend time enjoying nature

By Marlene Cimons

Wild turkeys are in trouble

Environment

Wild turkeys are in trouble Wild turkeys are in trouble

By Kate Baggaley

The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not.

Environment

The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not. The lake is basic. The slippery, scuba-diving fly that lives there is not.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Environment

The Keystone pipeline just spilled another 210,000 gallons of oil The Keystone pipeline just spilled another 210,000 gallons of oil

By Mary Beth Griggs

Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter

Environment

Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter Whatever your weather’s been like this week, you can probably expect the opposite for the rest of winter

By

Chronic wasting disease takes years to kill deer, but it’s always terminal.

Health

A fatal disease is spreading among U.S. deer, but there may be a new way to detect it A fatal disease is spreading among U.S. deer, but there may be a new way to detect it

By Ellen Airhart

ford factory roof

Environment

Companies are realizing that renewable energy is good for business Companies are realizing that renewable energy is good for business

By Ellen Airhart

This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel

Environment

This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel This weather pattern could complicate your Thanksgiving travel

By Kate Baggaley

Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan

Environment

Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan Stop pretending that all Americans could ever go vegan

By Sara Chodosh

Environment

Chimps can gesticulate with the best of them Chimps can gesticulate with the best of them

By Sara Chodosh

blue marble Earth image

Technology

Should we try to fix global warming with fake volcanic eruptions? TBD. Should we try to fix global warming with fake volcanic eruptions? TBD.

By Mary Beth Griggs

The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today

Environment

The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today The skyscrapers of the future could be built with the garbage of today

offering daisies

Science

From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice? From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice?

By Eva M. Krockow, Andrew M. Colman, and Briony Pulford for The Conversation

stuffed frill shark head

Environment

Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird. Yes, the frilled shark is really freaky. But there are other ‘living fossils’ that are just as weird.

By Rachel Feltman

Environment

After a brief pause, carbon emissions are back on the rise After a brief pause, carbon emissions are back on the rise

By Mary Beth Griggs

Hurricane Matthew

Environment

The 2017 hurricane season is finally fading away. But what comes next? The 2017 hurricane season is finally fading away. But what comes next?

By Dennis Mersereau

Gear

Airmega 400S review: This smart purifier will clear the air and your bank account Airmega 400S review: This smart purifier will clear the air and your bank account

By Popular Science Team

Meet the very good dogs who hunt down invasive species

Environment

Meet the very good dogs who hunt down invasive species Meet the very good dogs who hunt down invasive species

By Ellen Airhart

Environment

The ocean harbors unimaginable secrets, but we need to explore them responsibly The ocean harbors unimaginable secrets, but we need to explore them responsibly

By Laurence Publicover/Katharine Hendry/The Conversation

silvertip shark

Environment

Why some sharks are like blimps, and others are like airplanes Why some sharks are like blimps, and others are like airplanes

By Sara Chodosh

This is Pepin, a dog on a mission in the Serengeti.

Environment

Five animals that do our dirty work for us Five animals that do our dirty work for us

By Ellen Airhart

Health

Use your phone to identify a mosquito’s species by its buzz Use your phone to identify a mosquito’s species by its buzz

Eleanor the sea turtle swam through a tropical storm and survived

Environment

Eleanor the sea turtle swam through a tropical storm and survived Eleanor the sea turtle swam through a tropical storm and survived

By Marlene Cimons

Exploring the Antarctic deep seas took me back in time

Environment

Exploring the Antarctic deep seas took me back in time Exploring the Antarctic deep seas took me back in time

By Jon Copley/The Conversation

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

Science

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

By Sara Chodosh

Hospitals are helping make us all sick

Environment

Hospitals are helping make us all sick Hospitals are helping make us all sick

By Nicole Wetsman

Animated fossils are helping scientists rediscover extinct species

Environment

Animated fossils are helping scientists rediscover extinct species Animated fossils are helping scientists rediscover extinct species

By The Conversation/Brendan Body

Hurricane Harvey

Environment

Could brighter clouds make hurricanes less destructive? Could brighter clouds make hurricanes less destructive?

By Jason Lederman

This fungus has over 23,000 sexes and no qualms about it

Environment

This fungus has over 23,000 sexes and no qualms about it This fungus has over 23,000 sexes and no qualms about it

By Sara Chodosh

The ozone hole is at its smallest size since 1988, thanks to hot air and a massive international effort

Environment

The ozone hole is at its smallest size since 1988, thanks to hot air and a massive international effort The ozone hole is at its smallest size since 1988, thanks to hot air and a massive international effort

By Mary Beth Griggs

Orangutan skull

Environment

We may have a new cousin in this orangutan species—but it’s in big trouble We may have a new cousin in this orangutan species—but it’s in big trouble

By Rachel Feltman

Senility, storms, global domination, and other possible reasons an army of octopuses showed up on a Welsh beach

Environment

Senility, storms, global domination, and other possible reasons an army of octopuses showed up on a Welsh beach Senility, storms, global domination, and other possible reasons an army of octopuses showed up on a Welsh beach

By Gavan Cooke/The Conversation

60 years ago today, a Soviet street dog became the first animal to orbit Earth

Environment

60 years ago today, a Soviet street dog became the first animal to orbit Earth 60 years ago today, a Soviet street dog became the first animal to orbit Earth

By Tom McNamara

Male woolly mammoths lived fast, died young, and left more corpses

Environment

Male woolly mammoths lived fast, died young, and left more corpses Male woolly mammoths lived fast, died young, and left more corpses

By Sara Chodosh

Autumn isn’t cold enough to kill bugs anymore—find out what pests will persist in your region

Environment

Autumn isn’t cold enough to kill bugs anymore—find out what pests will persist in your region Autumn isn’t cold enough to kill bugs anymore—find out what pests will persist in your region

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

Science

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

By Sara Chodosh

The secrets of gecko tails could help heal human spine injuries

Health

The secrets of gecko tails could help heal human spine injuries The secrets of gecko tails could help heal human spine injuries

By Claire Maldarelli

If we all stopped eating beef, what would happen to the land?

Environment

If we all stopped eating beef, what would happen to the land? If we all stopped eating beef, what would happen to the land?

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Limpets are common herbivores on rocky shores. Here, one searches for food at low tide.

Environment

Very hungry snails are guarding coastal ecosystems against climate change Very hungry snails are guarding coastal ecosystems against climate change

By Marlene Cimons

Pumpkins evolved from a literal genetic (monster) mash-up

Environment

Pumpkins evolved from a literal genetic (monster) mash-up Pumpkins evolved from a literal genetic (monster) mash-up

By Sara Chodosh

Looking for bats in all the wrong places

Environment

Looking for bats in all the wrong places Looking for bats in all the wrong places

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

E=mc² became famous for all the wrong reasons

Environment

E=mc² became famous for all the wrong reasons E=mc² became famous for all the wrong reasons

By Tom McNamara

Bats, too, love the city life

Environment

Bats, too, love the city life Bats, too, love the city life

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Vampire bats could soon swarm to the United States

Environment

Vampire bats could soon swarm to the United States Vampire bats could soon swarm to the United States

By Kate Baggaley

Holy Harp Trap, Batman! The gear researchers use to study bats

Environment

Holy Harp Trap, Batman! The gear researchers use to study bats Holy Harp Trap, Batman! The gear researchers use to study bats

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Creatonotos gangis

Environment

This terrifyingly tentacled moth reminds us that nature is freakier than any nightmare This terrifyingly tentacled moth reminds us that nature is freakier than any nightmare

By Rachel Feltman

One cave’s losing battle against a deadly bat fungus

Environment

One cave’s losing battle against a deadly bat fungus One cave’s losing battle against a deadly bat fungus

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Two graphs that explain why California’s wildfires will only get worse

Environment

Two graphs that explain why California’s wildfires will only get worse Two graphs that explain why California’s wildfires will only get worse

Your best, beef-free Instagrams tagged #NoRedOctober

Environment

Your best, beef-free Instagrams tagged #NoRedOctober Your best, beef-free Instagrams tagged #NoRedOctober

By Mallory Johns

Bee sits on yellow flower.

Environment

Want to help the bees? Keep these out of your garden. Want to help the bees? Keep these out of your garden.

By Ellen Airhart

These Staten Islanders lost their neighborhood to Sandy. Here’s why they’re not taking it back.

Environment

These Staten Islanders lost their neighborhood to Sandy. Here’s why they’re not taking it back. These Staten Islanders lost their neighborhood to Sandy. Here’s why they’re not taking it back.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

Science

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others. Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

By Sara Chodosh

Pollution kills nine million people a year

Environment

Pollution kills nine million people a year Pollution kills nine million people a year

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

a wave crashes into a city

Environment

‘Geostorm’ is a very silly movie that raises some very serious questions ‘Geostorm’ is a very silly movie that raises some very serious questions

By Jane A. Flegal and Andrew Maynard/The Conversation

a butterfly sits on a frog

Environment

Bugs are buzzing off, and that’s very bad Bugs are buzzing off, and that’s very bad

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Find out what winter has in store for your state this year

Environment

Find out what winter has in store for your state this year Find out what winter has in store for your state this year

By Sara Chodosh