Earth

Earth

Let’s learn about the Arctic

The far North is a mix of vast tundra and icy waters, filled with interesting creatures, from tiny zooplankton to huge polar bears.

Earth

Scientists Say: Ring of Fire

This horseshoe-shaped path on the fringes of the Pacific Ocean holds most of the world’s active volcanos and earthquake sites.

Environment

Legos could last a disturbingly long time in the ocean

By looking at toys washed up on beaches, scientists have estimated how long it takes hard plastics to break down in the oceans. And it’s a long time.

Earth

Let’s learn about geysers and hydrothermal vents

These are places where superhot water streams out of the earth. Plate tectonics explains how they form.

Earth

Laundry tweaks can help clothes last longer and pollute less

Clothes washed in cooler water and for less time shed less dye and fewer fibers, a new study finds. That’s better for clothes — and the environment.

Environment

Greener than burial? Turning human bodies into worm food

Composting human bodies yielded good results — and good soil — in one small study. It could become an alternative to burial or cremation in one state.

Animals

Conservation is going to the dogs

Scientists are now training dogs to help track rare, elusive — and sometimes invasive — plants and animals.

Earth

Desert trails and microbial life excite this soil scientist

To help her desert community, Lydia Jennings focuses her research on how mining affects soil microbes.

Climate

Scientists Say: Meteorology

This word describes the study of processes in the Earth’s atmosphere, including the weather.

Chemistry

Converting trash to valuable graphene in a flash

Flash heating of carbon-rich wastes creates graphene, which has many commercial uses.

Environment

Decades-long project is linking our health to the environment

Started in 1959, this California study is one of the oldest ongoing research projects in the world.

Earth

Weight lifting is this planetary scientist’s pastime

Beck Strauss uses magnetic fields to explore the makeup of Earth and other planets.