Earth
- Chemistry
Six things that shouldn’t pollute your drinking water
These are why drinking untreated water can be harmful. But keep in mind, today’s water-treatment plants still won’t remove all of these.
- Chemistry
Explainer: How is water cleaned up for drinking
Unless you’re drinking well water, city folks typically get drinking water that has been treated in a water-treatment plant. Here’s what that means.
- Climate
Renewable energy might be able to green a desert
Computer models show that placing wind turbines and solar farms in deserts could increase how much rain falls in nearby areas.
- Climate
California’s Carr Fire spawned a true fire tornado
On July 23, an innocuous spark grew into California’s deadly Carr Fire. Three days later, it unleashed a lethal fire tornado.
- Climate
Teens and tweens sue United States over climate change
Children brought a lawsuit over climate change. It claims the government’s actions on fossil fuels deprived young people of basic rights. Science is key to the claims.
- Climate
The odd ways that weather can unfold in a warming world
New analyses describe how global and regional weather may unfold in the coming decades as people release more planet-warming greenhouse gases.
- Climate
Is climate change fanning megafires?
Climate studies predict that a warmer world will up the risk of megafires. Now, scientists are studying real blazes for the fingerprint of a warming climate.
- Earth
Designing tomorrow’s burger
Many people enjoy biting into a juicy hamburger. But getting it to the table can be hard on the environment. That's why scientists are at work developing new forms of beef and other meats, ones that don't require slaughtering animals.
- Earth
Microplastics take flight in the bellies of mosquitoes
In polluted water, mosquito larvae may eat microplastic — and it will stay in their bodies as they grow. That might pose risks to skeeter-eating birds.
- Climate
Eastern Pacific records its most energetic hurricane season
The eastern Pacific Ocean has been cranking out storms. Now it’s reached its most active season on record.
- Climate
Fingerprint of climate change shows up in some extreme weather
Scientists have long predicted that climate change will worsen extreme weather. Now, they have tools to help measure that impact.
- Climate
Half a degree can make a world of difference
Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius versus 2 has big benefits, says a new report from the IPCC.
