Earth and Human Activity

  1. Environment

    Urban pollution can pose unseen risks to kids’ immunity and more

    A trio of new studies links immune changes and high blood pressure to inhaling bad air.

    By Esther Landhuis
  2. Animals

    Analyze This: Cows burp less methane after early-life treatment

    Calves that receive the 14-week treatment belch less of the greenhouse gas, possibly due to shifts in their gut microbes.

    By Carolyn Wilke
  3. Climate

    Changing climate now threatens northern lakes year round

    Lakes in northern climes are getting warmer, and that’s not good for people, plants or animals.

    By John Perritano
  4. Computing

    5G promises new energy savings for digital tech

    A new way to transmit wireless communications promises time and energy savings by using networks of smaller cells.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  5. Computing

    Greening your digital life

    The less electricity you use while playing video games or using your devices, the less impact you’ll have on climate change.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  6. Climate

    COVID-19 cut pollution in 2020, warming the atmosphere

    Pandemic-related lockdowns briefly warmed the planet. The reason: The cleaner air carried fewer planet-cooling aerosols.

    By Sid Perkins
  7. Tech

    Training AI to be really smart poses risks to climate

    As artificial intelligence models grow larger and consume more energy, experts have begun to worry about their impact on Earth’s climate.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  8. Agriculture

    Healthy soils are life-giving black gold

    Scientists explain why everyone needs to value the soils beneath our feet — and why we should not view them as dirt.

    By Catherine Arnold
  9. Ecosystems

    What you can do to improve soils

    Soils are the life-sustaining structures under our feet. Here are some tips for keeping soils healthy. First rule of thumb: Give more than you take.

    By Catherine Arnold
  10. Chemistry

    Let’s learn about acids and bases

    Acids give away particles with positive charge. Bases accept positively charged particles. They are both critical for chemical reactions.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  11. Climate

    Can wildfires cool the climate?

    Severe wildfires are becoming more common. Science is showing that the tiny particles they release into the air can alter Earth’s temperature — sometimes cooling it.

    By Ellie Broadman
  12. Earth

    Explainer: What are aerosols?

    We may not see them, but tiny particles and droplets cloud the air, affecting its properties. Some may be pollutants, others all-natural products.

    By Ellie Broadman