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

This graphene filter could make it cheaper to drink seawater

Environment

This graphene filter could make it cheaper to drink seawater This graphene filter could make it cheaper to drink seawater

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

This “Spiderman” sea snail shoots webs of mucus

Environment

This “Spiderman” sea snail shoots webs of mucus This “Spiderman” sea snail shoots webs of mucus

By Rachel Feltman

Environment

Here’s what it’s like to get thrown into a volcano Here’s what it’s like to get thrown into a volcano

By Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty

Yes, 50 million years ago the earth was hotter. Here’s why climate change is still a major problem

Environment

Yes, 50 million years ago the earth was hotter. Here’s why climate change is still a major problem Yes, 50 million years ago the earth was hotter. Here’s why climate change is still a major problem

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Environment

Even our ancient ancestors had to deal with bed bugs Even our ancient ancestors had to deal with bed bugs

By Rachel Feltman

Mosquitoes and ticks are going to eat us all alive this summer

Environment

Mosquitoes and ticks are going to eat us all alive this summer Mosquitoes and ticks are going to eat us all alive this summer

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Bottlenose dolphin

Environment

Dolphins beat up octopuses before eating them, and the reason is kind of horrifying Dolphins beat up octopuses before eating them, and the reason is kind of horrifying

By Sara Chodosh

This stuff melts your crappy fast fashion into fabric stronger than cotton

Environment

This stuff melts your crappy fast fashion into fabric stronger than cotton This stuff melts your crappy fast fashion into fabric stronger than cotton

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Fertilizer has saved billions of lives, but it also has a dark side

Environment

Fertilizer has saved billions of lives, but it also has a dark side Fertilizer has saved billions of lives, but it also has a dark side

Environment

Watch these bees attack a baseball game—then learn why they did it Watch these bees attack a baseball game—then learn why they did it

By Sara Chodosh

What slime mold and online shoppers have in common

Environment

What slime mold and online shoppers have in common What slime mold and online shoppers have in common

By Eleanor Cummins

Here’s how air pollution kills 3,450,000 people a year

Environment

Here’s how air pollution kills 3,450,000 people a year Here’s how air pollution kills 3,450,000 people a year

By Sara Chodosh and Kendra Pierre-Louis

Climate change contributes to mental illness

Health

Climate change contributes to mental illness Climate change contributes to mental illness

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

The devastating effects of childhood lead exposure could last a lifetime

Environment

The devastating effects of childhood lead exposure could last a lifetime The devastating effects of childhood lead exposure could last a lifetime

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Environment

We may finally know how mosquitoes fly We may finally know how mosquitoes fly

By Mary Beth Griggs

Asian dust might be the secret to keeping California’s sequoias alive

Environment

Asian dust might be the secret to keeping California’s sequoias alive Asian dust might be the secret to keeping California’s sequoias alive

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

$What the frack is in fracking fluid?$

Environment

What the frack is in fracking fluid? What the frack is in fracking fluid?

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Living with a lynx—for science

Environment

Living with a lynx—for science Living with a lynx—for science

By Thomas McNamee

Coral reefs might be in more trouble than we thought

Environment

Coral reefs might be in more trouble than we thought Coral reefs might be in more trouble than we thought

Environment

Why you should never ever feed bread to a duck Why you should never ever feed bread to a duck

By Rachel Feltman

Keystone XL pipeline image

Environment

Everything you need to know about the Keystone XL pipeline Everything you need to know about the Keystone XL pipeline

By Mary Beth Griggs

A blue pipe that connects a bathroom, sewage separation tanks, a sewage mixing tank, a filtration machine, a natural body of water, and a water filtration plant, showing the cycle of making sewage drinkable.

Technology

How to make sewage drinkable How to make sewage drinkable

By Sara Chodosh

Volutes cloud on a lake

Environment

There’s a whole new species of cloud There’s a whole new species of cloud

By Sara Chodosh

How California is saving rainwater for a sunny day

Environment

How California is saving rainwater for a sunny day How California is saving rainwater for a sunny day

By Mary Beth Griggs

The secret of successful marine protected areas? People.

Environment

The secret of successful marine protected areas? People. The secret of successful marine protected areas? People.

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Avoid eye contact and back away slowly

Environment

10 weird little aliens you can find right here on Earth 10 weird little aliens you can find right here on Earth

By Eleanor Cummins

The early Earth wasn’t green, but it did recycle itself

Environment

The early Earth wasn’t green, but it did recycle itself The early Earth wasn’t green, but it did recycle itself

By Mary Beth Griggs

We need to protect the world’s soil before it’s too late

Environment

We need to protect the world’s soil before it’s too late We need to protect the world’s soil before it’s too late

Climate change may be upping your risk of diabetes

Environment

Climate change may be upping your risk of diabetes Climate change may be upping your risk of diabetes

By Marlene Cimons

The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees

Environment

The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees

By Rachel Feltman

Where will the future’s water crises hit hardest?

Environment

Where will the future’s water crises hit hardest? Where will the future’s water crises hit hardest?

By Mary Beth Griggs

Environment

The Sahara Desert used to be green and lush. Then humans showed up. The Sahara Desert used to be green and lush. Then humans showed up.

By Jeremy Deaton

How does Los Angeles get its water?

Technology

How does Los Angeles get its water? How does Los Angeles get its water?

By Amy Schellenbaum

Plagued by predators in the sea, these fish are moving onto land

Science

Plagued by predators in the sea, these fish are moving onto land Plagued by predators in the sea, these fish are moving onto land

By Mark D. Kaufman

Don’t go to Death Valley looking for a ‘Super Bloom’

Environment

Don’t go to Death Valley looking for a ‘Super Bloom’ Don’t go to Death Valley looking for a ‘Super Bloom’

By Mary Beth Griggs

fluorescent tree frog

Environment

This is the first fluorescent frog ever and he’s adorable This is the first fluorescent frog ever and he’s adorable

By Sara Chodosh

Come watch a supercomputer simulation of a devastating tornado

Environment

Come watch a supercomputer simulation of a devastating tornado Come watch a supercomputer simulation of a devastating tornado

Climate may have shaped the evolution of the human nose

Environment

Climate may have shaped the evolution of the human nose Climate may have shaped the evolution of the human nose

By Marlene Cimons

strait of gibraltar from above

Environment

The proposed 2018 federal budget tells NASA to forget about Earth The proposed 2018 federal budget tells NASA to forget about Earth

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

frog with mucous membrane

Environment

How some animals survive on almost no water How some animals survive on almost no water

The Great Barrier Reef had a pretty terrible year

Environment

The Great Barrier Reef had a pretty terrible year The Great Barrier Reef had a pretty terrible year

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Haze over eastern China

Environment

Changing weather patterns are trapping pollution over Chinese cities Changing weather patterns are trapping pollution over Chinese cities

By Marlene Cimons

You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers

Environment

You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers

bioluminescence belgium

Environment

Tasmania’s gorgeous, glowing water is a sign of something sinister Tasmania’s gorgeous, glowing water is a sign of something sinister

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Doctors unite to say climate change is making us sick

Environment

Doctors unite to say climate change is making us sick Doctors unite to say climate change is making us sick

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Great news: Some bed bugs are really good at climbing

Environment

Great news: Some bed bugs are really good at climbing Great news: Some bed bugs are really good at climbing

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees

Environment

Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees

By Mary Beth Griggs

Why preserving wild spaces is important to agriculture

Environment

Why preserving wild spaces is important to agriculture Why preserving wild spaces is important to agriculture

Researchers are using tomato peels and eggshells to make tires

Environment

Researchers are using tomato peels and eggshells to make tires Researchers are using tomato peels and eggshells to make tires

By Marlene Cimons

Up to half of the Arctic’s melt might be totally natural

Environment

Up to half of the Arctic’s melt might be totally natural Up to half of the Arctic’s melt might be totally natural

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

This device may pull water out of thin air, but not as well as we hoped

Environment

This device may pull water out of thin air, but not as well as we hoped This device may pull water out of thin air, but not as well as we hoped

A Mexican gray wolf

Environment

These photos force you to look the victims of climate change in the eye These photos force you to look the victims of climate change in the eye

If the EPA doesn’t believe in science, what is it good for?

Environment

If the EPA doesn’t believe in science, what is it good for? If the EPA doesn’t believe in science, what is it good for?

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Breakthroughs, stardom, and collapse: the life cycle of a sea arch

Environment

Breakthroughs, stardom, and collapse: the life cycle of a sea arch Breakthroughs, stardom, and collapse: the life cycle of a sea arch

By Mary Beth Griggs

How we know that climate change is happening—and that humans are causing it

Environment

How we know that climate change is happening—and that humans are causing it How we know that climate change is happening—and that humans are causing it

By Erin Blakemore

Environment

Six irrefutable pieces of evidence that prove climate change is real Six irrefutable pieces of evidence that prove climate change is real

By Erin Blakemore

underwater image of true's beaked whale

Environment

Here’s the first video of one of the planet’s most elusive beaked whales Here’s the first video of one of the planet’s most elusive beaked whales

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

The embattled campaign for Canada’s national bird

Environment

The embattled campaign for Canada’s national bird The embattled campaign for Canada’s national bird

By Kate Baggaley

Whirlpool wants you to trash your old composting methods and buy a fancy food recycler

Environment

Whirlpool wants you to trash your old composting methods and buy a fancy food recycler Whirlpool wants you to trash your old composting methods and buy a fancy food recycler

By Eleanor Cummins

Acipenser sinensis (Chinese sturgeon)

Environment

Ten of the ugliest animals threatened by climate change Ten of the ugliest animals threatened by climate change

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Ancient humans farmed the Amazon too

Environment

Ancient humans farmed the Amazon too Ancient humans farmed the Amazon too

By Mary Beth Griggs

Pandas have cute markings because their food supply sucks

Environment

Pandas have cute markings because their food supply sucks Pandas have cute markings because their food supply sucks

By Sara Chodosh

EPA are we better off?

Environment

From Kumbaya to Battleground: How’d the EPA get so political? From Kumbaya to Battleground: How’d the EPA get so political?

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Environment

Just 63 amazing animal photos from the Department of the Interior’s archives Just 63 amazing animal photos from the Department of the Interior’s archives

By Mary Beth Griggs