Earth and Human Activity

Climate

Global coral die-offs signal Earth’s first climate tipping point

The corals offer a dire warning, scientists say, and suggests that more such catastrophic points of no return could occur soon — some within a decade.

Tech

Let’s learn about lab-grown meat

Lab-grown meat may still be several years away from your local grocery. But such alternatives to farmed or free-range meats are on their way.

Space

Scientists Say: Space junk

High-velocity space junk threatens space missions today. And the problem is growing.

Environment

During heat waves, trees spew chemicals that worsen air pollution

New data point to how heat waves and other climate change will make it harder to curb ozone and other types of toxic air pollution — even outside of cities.

Animals

Save the sharks to save the ocean

Humans have driven sharks and their cousins to the brink of extinction, but it’s not too late to turn the tide. At stake is the health of the entire ocean.

Environment

See how aerosols fly through Earth’s skies

These small airborne particles may offset one-third of human-caused climate warming. But the cooling influence of aerosols is fading.

Earth

Scientists Say: Heat dome

Typically, weather enters an area, storms through, then leaves. Here's what happens when steamy summer air gets stalled.

Animals

Freshwater fish are in trouble: Here’s how we can help them

Human activities threaten the survival of many freshwater fish species. Research is now pointing to how we can best overcome those threats.

Space

The universe: How will it end?

The Big Bang likely brought our universe into existence. What will mark its grand finale? Scientists blend imagination and data to make predictions.

Environment

More and more, microplastics are collecting in our brains

Over eight years, the mass of microplastics in human brains increased by some 50 percent. There are growing hints that internal microplastics may harm us.

Earth

This long-buried glacier ice is at least 770,000 years old

Thanks to climate change, thawing permafrost in the Canadian Arctic has revealed this glacier remnant that could be more than a million years old.

Chemistry

Some bacteria in wastewater can break down a common plastic

These microbes can break the carbon bonds that make PET plastics so hard to degrade. This type of plastic makes up almost one-third of plastic waste.